Professor Gonzalez
LAH 3470 901
21 November 2014
Final Paper Tampa, Florida is home to over 330,000 people, 38 thousand business firms, and 3 major sport teams (US Census 2010). Compared to cities across the nation it’s considered one of the best places to live and to find a career. Before 1880 Tampa’s population was somewhere under 700 and was mostly inhabited by Yankees and Caribbean fishermen. Yet, by 1887 the population would quadruple in size. This increase in residents would be the effect of Tampa’s introduction to the Cuban cigar industry by 1887 and the establishment of Ybor City. To my own belief, the Cuban cigar industry and the immigrant workers that gathered to Ybor (and eventually West Tampa) would have such …show more content…
Since the late 19th century till now Tampa has played an influential role in the love/hate triangle between Cuba, America, and Spain. This theme has reoccurred multiple times in history: becoming a topic of discussion/objection both culturally and politically for all Tampa citizens. The planned annexation of Cuban from Spain during the Civil War, the Ten Years War, and the Spanish America war are the biggest examples. In the case of Cuban cigar production being introduced to Tampa Bay Area, the triangle’s influence was obviously …show more content…
The land would eventually be built into a factory and houses for employees. The 89 houses built on the 40 acres would end up being superior to worker dwellings in the Key West and Havana. By 1886, Haya would join Ybor and both of their factories would be ready for manufacture. Although Ybor cared about the development of his factory in Tampa, his main concern at that time was still Key West. It wasn’t until a fire that destroyed the factory in Key West in the spring of 1886 that Ybor moved his operation completely to the Tampa Bay Area. In the construction of Ybor’s plot would join the likes of George Pullman and other business industries at that time to create a company town. Even though the settlement would turn out on a smaller scale than Pullman’s, the creation of Ybor City was purposely meant to be palatial. Ybor’s hope was that the amount of investment would equal the output. Ybor hoped that better living conditions and working environment would mend the history of labor strikes and grievances between Cuban cigar workers and their Spanish owners. That hope wouldn’t hold for