History

From Alligators to Urban Renewal

Life in Ybor City in the early years wasn't easy. When the settlers first immigrated, they found themselves in a most inhospitable environment. The land was covered in deep, almost impenetrable sand. There were no paved roads, no sidewalk, just drifts and drifts of sand.

When it rained, the sand turned to mud. The climate was hot, humid and muggy. There were also lots of critters. Alligators and snakes roamed the streets and the air was thick with flies, mosquitoes and gnats. Diseases frequently ravaged the population—malaria, yellow fever and dysentery. There was no electricity and no indoor plumbing.

As Ybor City developed, however, conditions improved considerably. By the early part of the new century the community was a bustling center of activities. Visiting artists and opera companies from Spain, Havana and New York brought theater, dance and music from their ancestral countries. Because of the superior acoustics of the Centro Austriano theater, Ybor City was included in the New York - Atlanta - Havana theater circuit.

Urban renewal

Eventually hard times fell on this colorful community. The introduction of machine-made cigars, the popularity of cigarettes and the Great Depression all conspired to undermine the economy of the area, and urban renewal resulted in the destruction of much of its residential center. In the face of these threats, the citizens of Ybor City fought back. In the 1990's commercial property began to return to the area. As we move into the twenty-first century, new retail and residential developments are revitalizing the community and promise to preserve Tampa's unique and colorful Latin Quarter.

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