Hernando DeSoto in his quest for gold for Spain sailed
into Tampa Bay in 1539 and claimed it for King Charles the
Second. In 1763, Spain gave Britain all of Florida in exchange
for Havana. In 1783, England returned Florida to Spain in
the Treaty of Paris. In 1821, the United States gained possession
of the state. In 1824, Fort Brooke was built at the site
that is now downtown Tampa.
 Henry
B. Plant, a railroad magnate, brought his railroad to Tampa
in 1884 and in 1891 built the Tampa Bay Hotel, with its
easily recognized onion dome topped towers, on the Hillsborough
River across from the Fort Brooke. The Hotel building now
houses part of the University of Tampa.
In 1885, Tampa began to grow and Don Vicente Martinez Ybor
opened the largest cigar factory in the world, drawing immigrants
and their families to the city. The area developed as over
a hundred cigar factories employed more than 10,000 workers.
The area became known as Ybor City and Tampa was known as
"the Cigar Capital of the World." It is now a
National Historic Landmark District and one of the city's
busiest entertainment centers. The area still retains its
Latin legacy with it Spanish-style architecture, wrought
iron balconies and cobblestone streets.
 Tampa
is just a great place to live! Did you know that it is Florida's
third largest city? It is also the industrial and trade
center of Florida's west coast. Tampa Bay is also a cultural,
entertainment and sport center offering museums, performing
arts, theme attractions and professional sports.
Tampa is now a bustling business center for the region
with a thriving downtown commercial and office infrastructure
and one of the country's larger seaports. The downtown area
is set within a collection of modern skyscrapers.
If you would like to know more about the rich history behind
our city, please drop us a line at info@FireHouseRealty.com.,
or simply give us a call at (813) 936-2283. We would love
to have you as our neighbor!
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