History

La Casita: Home of the Cigar Workers

Streetcar in service, notice shotgun houses in back

The shotgun houses were built in 1895. They were originally located on 5th Avenue and were moved to their present location in 1976 as part of the preservation movement. Until 1910 these houses had no electricity, water or indoor plumbing. Lighting was provided by kerosene lanterns, water was carried in from a pump behind the house and chamber pots and an outhouse in back served bathroom needs. They were called "canones" (cannons) or "shotgun" houses because they were long, narrow-framed structures; a person could shoot a shotgun from front to back without hitting anything. A house rented for $1.50 to $2.50 a week or could be bought for between $400 to $900, depending on the size. Mr. Ybor devised a plan to encourage workers to buy their homes, allowing them to deduct a small amount from their paychecks each week. This system provided him with a stable work force and gave the workers pride of ownership.

Although seemingly modest from the outside, upon entry the visitor finds the interior of these homes surprisingly spacious and elegant. With twelve-foot wooden ceilings, wooden floors and paneled walls, the casita has a gracious feel about it. Each room contains furniture from the early part of the century and recreates the lifestyle of this era. Of particular interest are the wood burning stoves and the old fashioned ice box in the kitchen.

The houses were built from Florida pine with cypress- or cedar-shingle roofs. This architectural style was popular throughout rural America. It particularly lent itself to conditions in Florida because of its steeply-pitched roof and high ceilings, which allowed heat to rise, and its opposing, double-hung windows that provided cross-ventilation. The houses were also built on brick pilings, allowing air to circulate beneath. In 1908 a devastating fire destroyed many homes and thereafter builders used tin roofs instead of shingles. Examples of metal roofs can be seen behind La Casita.

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Café Con Leche & Don Quixote: Life in the Cigar Factories