Ybor cigar factory, c.1902 Ybor City (pronounced "eee-bore") is located in Hillsborough County, Florida near downtown Tampa and is one of three National Historic Landmark Districts in Florida. Due to the many nightclubs and bars in the area, Ybor continues to be one of the most popular evening hotspots around Tampa Bay- especially during the weekend. The district is named for cigar factory owner Vincente M. Ybor, as it was built to house his factories and their workers.
History
In the late 1800s and early 1900s Ybor City was home to many Cuban and Italian immigrants, most of whom worked in the area's many cigar factories. Illegal bolita lotteries, popular in the mid-20th century, were run by organized criminals in the area. Mafioso Santo Trafficante, Sr. consolidated control of area gangs in 1950, which passed to his son, Santo Trafficante, Jr. upon his death in 1954. The younger Trafficante was reputedly also powerful in pre-Castro Cuba. With the advent of mechanization, the cigar factories closed, and the area fell into disrepute.
Ybor City experienced a cultural renaissance in the early 1990s, attracting many artistic types and serving as the locus for a thriving rave scene. Drug dealers began showing up in greater numbers and attracting the attention of local politicians and law enforcement. Local ordinances were passed barring all-night dance parties, and some rave clubs had their liquor licenses revoked. Then, the land developers moved in, seeking to capitalize upon the perception of Ybor City as a cutting edge cultural area. Ybor rents increased significantly, and suddenly many artists could no longer afford to live in Ybor. Local developers installed many upscale bars and a trendy shopping complex called Centro Ybor.
Despite the rave scene's collapse and the gentrification of Ybor City, Tampa remains a capital of goth subculture, revolving around a club known as The Castle.
Museums - Cigar Museum And Visitor Center
- Ybor City Museum State Park
- TECO Line Streetcar Musuem
Annual events - Gasparilla Children's Parade
- Guavaween - various daytime events and nighttime parade in October
- Rough Rider's St. Patrick's Night Parade - illuminated nighttime parade that takes place a Saturday night in March. The 2005 parade date is Saturday, March 12.
- Sant'Yago Knight Parade - illuminated nighttime parade that takes place a Saturday night in February. The 2005 parade date is Saturday, February 12.
- Rooster Funeral and Doodle Doo Parade - I'm not sure if this still takes place or what the "official" name is for it. Perhaps somebody can clarify what this is and when it takes place.
Public transit The TECO Line Streetcar System, which links Ybor City, the Channel District and downtown Tampa, began operating on Saturday, 19 October 2002. The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HARTline) operates the streetcars as well as the bus system.
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