The History and Charm of Ybor City Museum State Park

What is Ybor City Museum State Park?

Ybor City Museum State Park is a Florida State Park that celebrates the unique cultural heritage of Ybor City, a historic district in Tampa that was once considered the “Cigar Capital of the World”. The park is located in the former Ferlita Bakery building, which was built in 1923 and operated as a bakery until 1973.

The museum features exhibits that trace the history of Ybor City, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Tampa which is one of the oldest towns in Florida. These exhibits and accompanying artifacts highlight the many immigrants from Cuba, Spain, Italy and other countries which came to old Ybor City in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Visitors can see how cigars were made, learn about the social clubs and mutual aid societies that supported the workers, and explore the traditions and festivals that enriched the community.

Visitors can also visit the ornamental garden, which showcases the Mediterranean style of architecture and landscaping that influenced Ybor City, and the casitas, or workers’ cottages, that have been restored and furnished to reflect different periods and ethnic groups from that time period.

Things to See and Do at Ybor City State Park

There are many things to see and do at Ybor City State Park. One of the smallest state parks in Florida’s award-winning state park system, this one is a mere four acres in size. As an urban park, it packs a lot into a small space. At one end, the museum occupies the former bakery. At the other end, the historic casitas showcase life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Between the two, the courtyard welcomes the public to the tree-shaded space which offers seating, tables, and other interesting focal points.

The Ybor City Museum

The Ybor City Museum, as mentioned before, is located on a brick road in a historic former bakery. Inside, visitors can watch an introductory film in the lobby about the history of Ybor City. Exhibits cover every bit of space after that, including the two brick ovens which were used when the bakery was in service.

Exhibits walk visitors through the founding of Ybor City in the 1890s through the city’s heyday as “Cigar Capital”, a nicknamed which lives on in Tampa’s nickname “Cigar City”. About three-quarters of the exhibits focus on the communities and immigrants which made Ybor City home. Cubans, Italians, Jews, Spanish, and Germans all found work and life in Ybor City and coexisted enough to make the neighborhood a melting pot of cultures.

A large exhibit about the cigar industry shows visitors how cigars were made, including step-by-step instructions. Photos and artifacts from the era bring modern-day visitors into that world. Smell tobacco as it rests in a baskets; see the finished product; and learn why women often made more money in cigar factories than men made.

The museum is a fascinating snapshot of life in Ybor City from 1886 to the 1920s when machinery made cigar factory workers’ jobs increasingly obsolete. After leaving the museum, visitors have a greater understanding of and appreciation for the surrounding historic neighborhood.

The Ornamental Garden and Courtyard at Ybor City Museum

The ornamental garden and courtyard is a shady area which is free and open to the public and offers a cool respite from Florida’s heat. Locals use the courtyard as a place for a quiet coffee or lunch, to meet a friend, or as a quiet place to simply sit.

The ornamental garden at Ybor City Museum includes a central fountain, a small stage, and a memorial bust of Vicente Martinez-Ybor who founded Ybor City. Several benches, wrought iron tables and chairs, and other seating encourage visitors to enjoy the serenity. Chickens, protected by the city of Tampa, scratch in the soil and sleep in fallen leaves beneath the oak trees.

The Historic Casitas at Ybor City Museum State Park

The historic casitas at Ybor City Museum State Park are a glimpse into the lives of the cigar workers who shaped the culture and economy of Tampa, Florida. These small houses were provided by Vincente Martínez Ybor, the founder of Ybor City, to his employees in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Several models were available to rent or buy with zero interest. In the early 1900s, Martinez Ybor sold the blueprints for his casitas to Sears Roebuck, making them among the first available for the famous Sears mail order homes.

The casitas at Ybor City Museum were restored and moved to their current location in 1976. Visitors can tour one of the homes and see how the workers and their families lived, cooked, ate, and entertained themselves. It is decorated with photographs, cigar labels, and other artifacts donated by the descendants of the immigrants who came from Cuba, Spain, Italy, and other countries to work in the cigar industry.