In 1540, Hernando DeSoto and his exploration party traveled from the Gulf Coast, through Georgia, touching the edge of the Wiregrass region east of the Chattahoochee River. It was here the Spaniards first encountered the ancestors of the Creek Indians, and for the most part, found them to be friendly. Most Spanish explorers would camp near an Indian village, or stay in the village, to rest and replenish their food supply.