Ybor (City) #AtoZChallenge #Blogboost

Ybor City, a neighborhood near downtown Tampa, Florida,  is a National Historic Landmark District district.

It was founded in 1885 by cigar manufacturers, including one Vincente Martinez Ybor, and was incorporated into Tampa a couple of years later.  The cigar years were good ones for Ybor City - this city of Cuban and Spanish immigrants had many high paying jobs in the cigar manufacturing industry available to them.  But, by the time I first set foot in Ybor City (escorted by a cousin who grew up in Tampa) in 1966, the community had slid way downhill.

In the last thirty or so years, Ybor City has experienced a revival.  These pictures were taken by me in 2013.

Let's walk down 7th Avenue for a minute, and see what is out there to see, free of charge.

The beautiful Columbia Restaurant is decorated with many historic tiles.

This is one of my favorites - decorated with grapes.  It should be noted that, in addition to Cubans making up much of Ybor City's early population, there was also an influx of Italian immigrants.

The cigar heritage of Ybor City was evident in some of the offerings at the weekly farmer's market.

This is the only time I've ever seen cigars for sale at a farmer's market.

The old Ferlita (before that, La oven Francesa) bakery on 9th avenue is now a museum.

It once was a major producer of Cuban bread, a bread somewhat like Italian bread.  You should not leave Tampa without trying at least one Cuban sandwich

Day 28 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost.

"Y" day (next to last!) on the Blogging from A to Z Challenge #AtoZChallenge.  My theme - Florida Outside the Theme Parks.

Join me Monday for the final Blogging from A to Z Challenge post.