Tampa Bay History Center (Miami, Key West: houses, military, stores)

[floridagirl777]

For those who are interested in a fun an informative day out, check out the Tampa Bay History Center:

Tampa Bay History Center -

I just visited it today and had a great time! There's all kinds of short films there as well as artifacts and information about how Tampa has grown and changed over the years. My favorite aspect was learning how the Italian and Cuban population impacted the area culturally. We really have a rich heritage there. Having the Columbia Cafe on site was also a big plus! They make great picadillo, flan, and plantanos maduros!

Anyway, it was a nice way to spend the afternoon and learn a bit about one of my favorite cities.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by floridagirl777

For those who are interested in a fun an informative day out, check out the Tampa Bay History Center:

Tampa Bay History Center -

I just visited it today and had a great time! There's all kinds of short films there as well as artifacts and information about how Tampa has grown and changed over the years. My favorite aspect was learning how the Italian and Cuban population impacted the area culturally. We really have a rich heritage there. Having the Columbia Cafe on site was also a big plus! They make great picadillo, flan, and plantanos maduros!

Anyway, it was a nice way to spend the afternoon and learn a bit about one of my favorite cities.

The Cuban sandwich was first made in Tampa, NOT Miami. You do have a point that the Cuban and Italian heritage is played a part for the Tampa area's culture. Two famous Cuban-Americans to come out of the Tampa area: Constantino "Tino" Martinez and Luis Gonzalez.

[floridagirl777]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

The Cuban sandwich was first made in Tampa, NOT Miami. You do have a point that the Cuban and Italian heritage is played a part for the Tampa area's culture. Two famous Cuban-Americans to come out of the Tampa area: Constantino "Tino" Martinez and Luis Gonzalez.

Yes! Most people don't realize that the Cuban sandwich is a TAMPA thing. The ones made in Miami are nowhere near as delicious as the ones in Tampa. Today I learned that Tampa Cuban sandwiches were first made as a mixture of Italian and Latin culture mixing together. I never knew that, which is odd since I grew up on Cuban sandwiches! My entire family is originally from Ybor City, so Cuban and Italian food is in my blood.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by floridagirl777

Yes! Most people don't realize that the Cuban sandwich is a TAMPA thing. The ones made in Miami are nowhere near as delicious as the ones in Tampa. Today I learned that Tampa Cuban sandwiches were first made as a mixture of Italian and Latin culture mixing together. I never knew that, which is odd since I grew up on Cuban sandwiches! My entire family is originally from Ybor City, so Cuban and Italian food is in my blood.

I've had Cuban chicken sandwiches, but not the Cuban sandwich with the ham and salami. That is the difference between Miami's Cuban sandwich and Tampa's Cuban sandwich. The Tampa version is more inclusive. The Cuban and Italian influences are there. It was for Cuban and Italian cigar factory workers who wanted a lunch. It combined the ham(Cuban food) and salami(Italian food).

And Ybor City was named for a Cuban immigrant, Vincente Martinez Ybor. He helped bring the cigar industry to Tampa.

[green_mariner]

Something else. The Cuban and Italian influences are not only in Tampa. You can find them in New Orleans too. There is a statue of Cuban independence intellectual Jose Marti in New Orleans. And there is a sandwich in New Orleans called the mufaletta, which comes from the Italians.

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by floridagirl777

For those who are interested in a fun an informative day out, check out the Tampa Bay History Center:

Tampa Bay History Center -

I just visited it today and had a great time! There's all kinds of short films there as well as artifacts and information about how Tampa has grown and changed over the years. My favorite aspect was learning how the Italian and Cuban population impacted the area culturally. We really have a rich heritage there. Having the Columbia Cafe on site was also a big plus! They make great picadillo, flan, and plantanos maduros!

Anyway, it was a nice way to spend the afternoon and learn a bit about one of my favorite cities.

Cool! Thx for the info.

[The Villages Guy]

Keep the history facts coming folks. They are very interesting.

[floridagirl777]

You know, I never understood how some people say Tampa lacks any sort of culture. There is such RICH culture here … especially around the downtown area. I love the Cuban and Italian influences in this city. People need to get out and explore this more - celebrate it even! Cubans and Italians who have been here for generations LOVE to share their stories! Just go to the Festa Italia in Ybor one year or hang out at La Teresita and speak with some of the older Latinos there … you'll get an earful of great information!

One other cool Tampa history fact I learned yesterday was about the cigar industry here. I used to think the cigar workers just had to sit there, mindlessly rolling cigars day in and day out. It wasn't mindless, however. Cigar companies brought in lectors. It was the lectors job to read to the cigar workers so they could learn and be entertained as they worked. Novels and political books were often chosen, and some of the books actually insighted the workers to demand better conditions, etc. I thought this was pretty cool since I'm a big literary geek!

I love Tampa. It's such a great place.

[jsun556]

It's alright, but you can be done with it in a couple hours. Maybe go there then take the trolly and hit up some bars/food in Ybor to make a day out of it.

[MAniacTHW]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

And Ybor City was named for a Cuban immigrant, Vincente Martinez Ybor. He helped bring the cigar industry to Tampa.

Actually, Ybor brought cigars to Key West after running from the Spanish military for funding the Cuban resistance. Steve Otto (I believe was his name) mistakenly believed that wild guava grew in Central Florida. He didn't find the guava, but he sailed back to New York and stopped in Key West to visit his friend (Ybor). He informed Ybor that Tampa has the perfect environment for his tobacco to grow. Ybor, who was afraid that his factory would burn down in Key West, bought land in what later became Ybor City. He found that the Cubans who came with him stayed for a month, made some money, then went back to Cuba. He then built the shotgun style houses around Ybor and sold them to the Cubans at cost. Cubans then moved their families to Ybor and encouraged competitors to move to Ybor as well. With the influx of people moving to the area, they needed stores and entertainment, and Ybor was built up to about what it is today. Guavaween, and Tampa's nickname "The Big Guava" are named after Steve Otto's belief that guava grew in Central Florida.