A local story suggests that the Cuban Revolution started in Tampa. In 1895, Jose Martí, a Cuban Revolutionary leader nicknamed the “George Washington of Cuba”, was said to have tasked Blas O’Halloran, a cigar maker, with an important job. Martí…

In 1878, the 10-year long War for Cuban Independence had come to an end, leaving the country in political and economic ruin. The increased hostility and tariffs that Cubans faced in the direct aftermath of the war caused many to flee the country in…

There is a treasure hidden across from Ybor City’s Centennial Park. It is not a pot of gold, but a house. At first sight, it seems like an ordinary shotgun house, but there is more to it than meets the eye. La Casita, or small house, is a…

Escaping religious persecution in Romania, Jewish merchants settled in Ybor City and opened dry goods stores in the late 1800’s. Described by historians as the “Princes of Seventh Avenue,” these merchants became successful by selling dry goods such…

El Centro Asturiano has been part of the Tampa community for over 100 years and is one of the original mutual aid societies of Ybor City. Founded in 1902, the club catered to Spanish immigrants who came to Ybor City in search for a better life.…

As the Cuban War of Independence ensued in 1895, the atmosphere in Ybor City rang with shouts of “Cuba Libre” and hope for a different future. Black and white Cubans abandoned their preconceptions about race and became united under the national…