TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay History Center tells the stories of our area, starting with the first settlers.
The history center teaches about the arrival of Europeans, North Africans and more Native Americans.
“And what happens with Spanish Florida, English Florida and then eventually American Florida,” said Rodney Kite-Powell, Director of the Touchton Map Library.
The native Seminole people survived multiple wars and removal efforts. They call themselves “The Unconquered.”
The Tampa cigar industry brought new immigrants — Cubans, Spaniards, Afro-Cubans and Sicilians.
“At its peak in the 1920s, it was about 500,000,000 cigars produced every year, all by hand,” said Kite-Powell.
The next museum level offers a new historical timeline: war stories. Five-hundred years of Black history and a look at the pioneer life of Florida Crackers.
At the Treasure Seekers gallery, young learners find out how explorers and pirates got here.
Spoiler alert — it’s math.
There’s recovered treasure, but all that glitters is not gold.
They also have a rare map on display of St. Augustine in 1588.
“The earliest view of any city in today’s United States,” said Kite-Powell.
It’s courtesy of the center’s Touchton Map Library and includes a 1511 map showing the tip of South Florida, two years before Ponce de Leon arrived to explore Florida.
They also have a 1524 map of Florida, the first time Florida is called “La Florida.”
Together, these artifacts tell the story of the Sunshine State’s 14,000-year history.
“But also how tied in the broader story of American History Florida really is,” said Kite-Powell.
Florida history — our history — is American history.
Virginia Johnson
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