Ybor City

Retrace the history of Ybor City from its beginnings in the Cigar Industry to the colorful Latin community it is today. In 1885, Vicente Martínez Ybor purchased 40 acres of land northeast of Tampa, and there he began the cigar industry that would soon draw thousands of immigrants to Ybor City. The diverse population of the area, known as Tampa's "Latin Quarter," came from Cuba, Spain, Italy, Germany, and Eastern Europe. Some residents worked in the various stages of cigar manufacturing, fro...