Ybor City Museum State Park, Tampa
Situated in what was likely the very first bakery to serve Cuban Bread on American soil, Ybor City Museum State Park is the best place to begin a tour of the Ybor City Historic District. Here you will find informational displays about the cities immigrant population and the cigar-producing heritage they brought with them from Cuba.
The main building and entrance to the museum are housed in La Joven Francesca bakery, established in 1896 but sadly burned down in 1922. The only object left was the brick oven, which owner Francisco Ferlita built a new bakery and a second oven around. The building stands proudly on the corners of East Ninth Ave and North 19th Street, along with a casita and a lovely garden that hosts events throughout the year. The casita is a typical cigar worker's home from the period, built and paid for by the factories as an incentive.
During its heyday, the bakery and garden were one of the town's most popular gathering spots—you could catch up on gossip, grab your day's loaf of Cuban bread, and enjoy a Cuban coffee. The bakery was a major supplier for bread to the entire city with daily delivery service. Ybor City residents would put nails on their front door frames from which the bread was hung.
The museum tracks Ybor City's history from the development of the cigar industry with self-guided exhibits, a video presentation, and written and audio information. The park is open Wednesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
The main building and entrance to the museum are housed in La Joven Francesca bakery, established in 1896 but sadly burned down in 1922. The only object left was the brick oven, which owner Francisco Ferlita built a new bakery and a second oven around. The building stands proudly on the corners of East Ninth Ave and North 19th Street, along with a casita and a lovely garden that hosts events throughout the year. The casita is a typical cigar worker's home from the period, built and paid for by the factories as an incentive.
During its heyday, the bakery and garden were one of the town's most popular gathering spots—you could catch up on gossip, grab your day's loaf of Cuban bread, and enjoy a Cuban coffee. The bakery was a major supplier for bread to the entire city with daily delivery service. Ybor City residents would put nails on their front door frames from which the bread was hung.
The museum tracks Ybor City's history from the development of the cigar industry with self-guided exhibits, a video presentation, and written and audio information. The park is open Wednesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Tampa. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Ybor City Museum State Park on Map
Sight Name: Ybor City Museum State Park
Sight Location: Tampa, USA (See walking tours in Tampa)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Tampa, USA (See walking tours in Tampa)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Tampa, Florida
Create Your Own Walk in Tampa
Creating your own self-guided walk in Tampa is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Ybor City Historic District Walking Tour
Founded in 1885 by Vicente Martinez Ybor, a Spanish entrepreneur who became a noted industrialist and cigar manufacturer in Cuba, Ybor City was unique in the American South as a successful town almost entirely populated and owned by immigrants. Once the epicenter of the cigar industry, today this historic neighborhood in Tampa, Florida, is a thriving hub for art, culture, and gastronomy.
Ybor... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Ybor... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Tampa Downtown Walking Tour
The City of Tampa sits at the head of what is now known as Tampa Bay. It is Florida’s third-largest city and its largest shipping port. Native Americans lived around the Bay almost 2,000 years ago, long before Spanish explorers “discovered” the area. Even when the Spanish conquistadors arrived, they didn’t stay in Florida long. There was no gold, and the native inhabitants fought them off.... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles