Ybor City, Tampa's Historic Neighborhood

Ybor City was founded by Mr. Ybor, a Spanish Immigrant, in 1889. He bought 40 acres northeast of the present downtown Tampa. Rail transportation had just arrived, and the Port of Tampa was being improved. This was ideal for bringing cuban tobacco and manufacturing cigars. Also, a much bigger operation than the constrained situation in small Key West. It became a big cigar manufacturing center around 1900, attracting cigar workers from Cuba, Spain, Italy, among others.

The founding hispanic immigrant group started it's own social club, providing health care and improved living conditions for it's members.This continued until around world war two. After that the area went into decline until about the 1970's, when it went through a renaissance as a historic tourist destination. Most of the historic structures were renovated as museums, offices and stores. In the eighties a proliferation of bars and night clubs began. The area became a late night youth attraction, which somewhat affected the area's reputation.

Since then the city has worked hard to improve public perception. Many night life venues continue, even growing after 2000. An electric commuter rail line from the Channelside district has helped bring more tourism. Seventh Avenue is the main artery through Ybor, which runs several blocks, Along it is where all attractions are, plus many of the original homes around Seventh Avenue have been restored. The ethnic Hispanic and taqueria Mexican cooking venues around Ybor are popular.

In Tampa's historic Ybor City neighborhood, wild chickens have been strutting around since the first wave of immigrants arrived in the early nineteenth century. So, when a business owner complained that they were bothering his clients,and called a trapper, most of the community was in an uproar. Neighbors planned a protest, and even passed out "Save Ybor's Chickens" flyers. The trapper now will tag them and monitor the population, which is about a hundred.

The Ybor City Development Corporation will discuss creating chicken friendly boundaries. The Ybor City area is now a prime tourist attraction, and many of the old cigar factories have been preserved, some as museums or antique shops. Seventh avenue is the main drag, which has become a party-town haven, with bars, night clubs and theaters.