Ybor City

Lore & Background

The neighborhood had features unusual among contemporary communities in the south, most notably its multiethnic and multiracial population and their many mutual aid societies. The cigar industry employed thousands of well-paid workers, helping Tampa grow from an economically depressed village to a bustling city in about 20 years and giving it the nickname 'Cigar City'. Ybor City grew and flourished from the 1890s until the Great Depression of the 1930s, when a drop in demand for fine cigars reduced the number of cigar factories and mechanization in the cigar industry greatly reduced employment opportunities. This process accelerated after World War II, and a steady exodus of residents and businesses continued until large areas of the formerly vibrant neighborhood were virtually abandoned by the late 1970s. Attempts at redevelopment failed until the 1980s, when an influx of artists began a slow process of gentrification. In the 1990s and early 2000s, a portion of the original neighborhood around 7th Avenue developed into a nightclub and entertainment district, and many old buildings were renovated for new uses. Since then, the area's economy has diversified with more offices and residences, and the population has shown notable growth for the first time in over half a century.

In Their Own Story

The sun beats down on the cobblestones of 7th Avenue as the crowd begins to swell, a sea of pewter and red spilling out from the bars. The air is thick with humidity and the distant hum of traffic, but here, the only sound that matters is the rhythmic chanting rising from a packed patio. A group of fans, some wearing vintage jerseys from the 1970s and others in current gear, raise their drinks in unison toward a historic brick facade. They are not just waiting for a bus to the stadium; they are participating in a ritual that has turned this old cigar factory district into the true home of the Buccaneers.

Reader's Guide

Ybor City has been designated as a National Historic Landmark District, and several structures in the area are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In 2008, 7th Avenue, Ybor City's main commercial thoroughfare, was recognized as one of the '10 Great Streets in America' by the American Planning Association. In 2010 Columbia Restaurant, which is Florida's oldest restaurant, was named a 'Top 50 All-American icon' by Nation's Restaurant News magazine.

Did You Know?

• Ybor City was founded in the 1880s by Vicente Martinez Ybor and other cigar manufacturers.
• The neighborhood was populated by thousands of immigrants mainly from Cuba, Spain, and Italy.
• Ybor City's cigar factories rolled hundreds of millions of cigars annually for 50 years.
• The area was virtually abandoned by the late 1970s before redevelopment began in the 1980s.
• 7th Avenue was named one of the '10 Great Streets in America' in 2008.