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THE CIGAR THAT SPARKED A REVOLUTION

The most famous cigar ever rolled in Tampa went out not as a Corona or a Presidente, but as a liberator to spark the CubanRevolution of 1895. This cigar cost thousands of lives, but eventually won the independence of Cuba from Spain.

 

The story of the cigar that went to war starts Jan. 29, 1895,at the residence of Gonzalo De Quesada, secretary of theCuban Revolutionary Party in New York City. Jose Marti, theleader of the Cuban crusade for freedom, called a secretmeeting of the revolutionary junta at the Quesada home.

Present were General Jose Mayia Rodriguez, representingGeneralisimo Maximo Gomez, and General Enrique Collazo,representing the Revolutionary Junta of Havana. Among theCuban patriots taking part in the historic junta was EmilioCordero, who in later years would become a prominent leaderin the cigar industry of America marketing his popular brandMi Hogar.

       Gonzalo de Quesada          Jose Marti

Jose Marti with supporters of the Cuban revolution, on the steps of the Ybor‐Manrara cigar factory, 1893.This building is now home to a restaurant, "The Spaghetti Warehouse" and offices for scientology.

 

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Emilio Cordero was late arriving at the meeting, and found the junta was stalemated on the decision of whether or not to launch arevolt on the island. Cordero was faced with the most serious decision of his life. After much soul searching he broke the tie vote byvoting for war and gained immortality.

Gonzalo de Quesada and wife,with Jose Marti (seated)

Gen. Maximo Gomez (seated) with Gen.Enrique Collazo behind him

Gen. Enrique Collazo 

Gen. Maximo Gomez 

 

 

"In view of the propitious situation and the clamoring of the islanders to take the field," Marti, Rodriguez and Collazo signed the longawaited order for the uprising. With the momentous decision made, the dangerous mission of delivering the order to the Cubanleaders was the next task at hand. The historic document was written in longhand on a single piece of white paper. Quesada, withthe message in his pocket, booked passage on the first train for Ybor City, the center of Cuban revolutionary activities.

On the train, Quesada met Horatio Rubens, an American attorney serving as advisor to the Cuban Revolutionary Party who,principally in the U.S. organized, and provided arms to the Cuban insurgents before and during the 1895‐1898 Cuban War ofIndependence.  Quesada confided with him: "I am sleeping on dynamite! I have the orders for the uprising! They will go by messengerto Havana." 

At the Ybor city railroad station, Quesada wasmet by Fernando Figueredo, the chief of thepartido (party) in Ybor City (and first mayor ofWest Tampa), Theodore Perez, Martin Herrera,the brothers Blas and Estanislaus O’Halloranand other Cuban patriots.

Fernando Figueredo The O'Halloran brothers, Blas, Estanislaus & Ignacio

The O'Halloran brothers, Blas, Estanislaus & Ignacio, were sons of Cuban‐born cigar maker Rafael O'Halloran and his wife, Francesca.

 

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West Tampa was originally called Pino City which was founded by brothers Manuel and Fernando J. del Pino. They built theirfirst cigar factory here on this site in June of 1892. Because of lack of housing, transportation and convenient access, it closedin 1893. Later that year, the O'Halloran Cigar Company moved into the vacant del Pino brothers building.

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O'Halloran family on the 1880 Census of Monroe County, Key West, Florida

In 1880, the O'Hallorans were living at 506 Petrona Street in Key West.  On line 9, Rafael O'Halloran was age 56 (born circa 1824) and worked as acigar maker.  His wife, line 10, Francesca was 50 (b. c1830).  Blas O'Halloran, their oldest son, was listed erroneously as Blas Fernandez** on line15, married and living in the next dwelling.  Blas and his wife, Clemencia (enumerator omitted the "C", listing her as "Lemencia", verified asClemencia on later censuses) were both age 20 (born circa 1860.)  Children of Rafael and Francesca begin on line 11 with Estanislaus, age 18 (b.c1862), Ignacio age 17 (b. c1863), Rafaela age 16 (b. c1864) and Maria age 14 (b. c1866).  All members of the family were born in Cuba, withRafael and Francesca both stating that their parents were born in Cuba.  Later censuses of the O'Halloran brothers indicate that the family came tothe U.S. in 1872 or 1875.  On the 1900 Census in West Tampa, Rafael and Francesca O'Halloran were living at 287 Oak Street and indicate they had come to the US in 1870. Francesca was the mother of 13 children, with only 6 living by 1900. **Numerous passport applications from 1884 through 1920 of Blas and Estanislau O'Halloran indicate they were born in Havana and that their nameswere Blas Fernandez O'Halloran and Estanislau Fernandez O'Halloran.  Both brothers also used the middle initial "F." in their signatures or wroteout their middle names.  At age 59 in 1884, their father Rafael received a passport and indicated his name was Rafael Fernandez O'Halloran, bornin Havana, and that he "was about to travel abroad accompanied by my wife and four minor children."  It is apparent that his sons continued to usetheir father's full surname.  The use of Fernandez in the middle names of the brothers and their father indicate that Fernandez may have beenRafael's mother's surname.  Normally, a Cuban would express their surname as "O'Halloran y Fernandez" (if their father's name was O'Halloran andtheir mother's name was Fernandez).  In the US, sometimes this would result in instances of a person's surname appearing as their mother's surname,instead of their father's (as was the case with Blas' 1880 census.)  The lack of the "y" (and) in between the two names could be an indication ofreversal of traditional naming sequence.

 

Cigar factory workers in Tampa, 1892

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At the time, Ybor City had become a nest of insurgents as well as a cigar production center. The cigar makers were red hot rebelsardently supporting the cause of the Cuban independence. Each week they contributed one day’s pay Dia de La Patria for thepurchase of war material. Many guerilla‐fighters were outfitted and sneaked into Cuba from here.  Sixty revolutionary clubs inTampa, the largest Cuban political emigrant community in the United States, worked hard for Cuba Libre for more than six years.The delicate alliance formed during that period bridged ideologies, ethnicity, race and class – for the revolutionary moment.Fernando Figueredo, general agent of the Cuban Revolutionary Party in Tampa and mayor of West Tampa, estimated that the Cubancigar workers of Key West and Tampa (including Ybor City and West Tampa) were collecting around $50,000 a month for therevolution.

Blas F. O'Halloran

Quesada conferred with local leaders in West Tampa on a means of smuggling themessage into Cuba, and upon a suggestion by Fernando Figueredo, they decided toconceal it in a cigar. Late one night, a few members of the local revolutionary junta metat the O’Halloran Cigar Factory at Howard Ave. and Union St., and Blas O’Halloranrolled five Panetela cigars‐all identical. The one concealing the message, the historic"Cigar of Liberty," was distinguishable by two tiny yellow specks on the tobacco wrapper.Days later, Quesada, with the five cigars in his pocket, sailed to Key West. There he wasmet by Miguel Angel Duque De Estrada, the man chosen to deliver the message to JuanGualberto Gomez, the insurgent chief of the island of Cuba. Miguel Angel Duque

de Estrada

 

The chaveta used to roll the historic cigar, and Jose Marti's pistol given to him forprotection by General Maximo Gomez, were in the possession of Rosario O'HalloranSoriano in 1980.  Marti, who disliked carrying firearms, had given the gun, along witha gold ring and a pocketknife, to his close friend Estanislao O'Halloran in Tampa. The items then passed to Rosario Soriano, Estanislao's daughter.  According to AlbertSoriano, a son of Rosario Soriano, the items then passed to his older brother, andthen to that brother's son.  In this 2013 article by Paul Guzzo, "Marti's historic pistoljust out of history's reach", attempts to contact Albert' Soriano's nephew were to noavail.  More recently, it has been learned that the nephew said he loaned the itemsto someone and can't remember who. 

See related story concerning Eduardo R. Chibas at Cuscaden Park, Ybor City.

 

 

On the moonlit night of Thursday February 21, 1895, Estrada, with the cigars in hispocket, boarded the Mascotte for the seething island of Cuba. Arriving at the port ofHavana, the courier calmly proceeded through routine customs inspection and passedout four cigars to the authorities of the port. At all times Estrada was holding the

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"loaded cigar" in his mouth as a prevention. Then he picked up his luggage and walkedaway into history. That night, the very valuable cigar was safely delivered to Gomez inHavana. He loses no time in his role in the conspiracy, and called a meeting at theresidence of Antonio Lopez Coloma, 74 Trocadero in Havana.

The order for the uprising called for a date to be set not earlier than the secondfortnight in February. Gomez and his fellow conspirators, which included Antonio 

The Mascotte was one of H. B. Plant'ssteamers with frequent scheduled tripsbetween Havana, Key West and Tampa.

Lopez Coloma, Dr. Pedro Betancourt, Julio Sanguily, and Jose Maria Aguirre,agree onFebruary 24th as the date for the uprising‐"el grito de Guerra!" This date fell on aSunday, and was the beginning of the traditional carnival celebrations. During this timeof fiesta, the Spanish authorities would be engaged in high revelry. Gomez sent a wireto Gonzalo de Quesada in New York On the morning of February 24, 1895, the rebelwar‐cry "Viva la, Independencia!" "Viva Cuba Libre!" electrified the island, and theCuban people embarked on their final struggle against Spanish domination.

Julio Sanguily Dr. Pedro Betancourt  

 

Juan GualbertoGomez

Gen. Antonio Maceo"The Bronze Titan"

The five "gritos" (yells) were heard at Ibarra,Jaguey Grande, Bayate, Guantanamo andBaire. The uprising at Ibarra was lead byJuan Gualberto Gomez and Antonio LopezColoma.

The Ibarra revolt failed and Gomez andColoma were captured by the Spanish.Gomez was banished to Ceuta, the Spanishpenal colony in Africa, and Coloma, facingdeath with valor, was executed before afiring squad at the Fortaleza de la Cabana.

 A few months later, Jose Marti, the soul of the revolution, was killed at Dos Rios.General Antonio Maceo, the dashing mulatto chieftain who was 2nd in command, diedbefore the gates of Havana.  

See and read about the Marti‐Maceo Society in Ybor City

 

 

In 1898 the battleship Maine exploded while anchored inHavana harbor, and the United States declared war on Spain.Tampa again played a major role as the base of operations."Teddy" Roosevelt, his Rough Riders, and General MaximoGomez, with his gallant Mambises went on to victory andimmortality.

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"Rough Rider" Teddy Roosevelt inTampa, 1898

General en Jefe Máximo Gómez

 

Fernando Figueredo  

The Cubans finally attained their Cuba Libre in 1902. Foryears the celebration of the "Carnavales" were also thecelebration of the independence. The Cubans continued tocelebrate Los Carnavales on February 24th, recalling theTampa cigar which broke the chain of oppression. FidelCastro suspended the festivities, but Cubans still celebrate"Los Carnavales."  When purchasing a cigar, the sentimentalcigar smokers of Ybor City, with a penchant for the sobriquet,would ask for  "A  .Message to Gomez", honoring the cigar ofliberty.

 

Jose Marti and Fernando Figueredo are two of five personshonored on a mural by Edward Sanchez Cumbas and GuillermoPortieles named "Kaleidoscope" Heritage of Color, 2007"displayed on the side of the racquetball courts at MacfarlanePark in West Tampa.

See the entire mural at Tampapix

See "Friends of Jose Marti Park" in Ybor City

See related article: "Marti's historic pistol is just out of history's reach"

by Paul Guzzo

Jose Marti   Fernando Figueredo

 

Fernando Figueredo y Socarrás, The First Mayor of West Tampa

Fernando Figueredo y Socarrás was born on February 9, 1846, in Puerto Príncipe, Cuba, the son ofBernardo Figueredo y Tellez and Tomasa Socarras y Varona.  Fernando grew up in Bayamo, butwas sent to school in Havana in 1862, then to the Troy Academy of Civil Engineering in Hudson,New York, in 1864.  In Cuba, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes and others were plotting revolution andFernando, through letters from his father and discussions with other students, followed theevents in Cuba with great interest. In 1868, he left Troy and joined the rebels in Bayamo, eightdays after the start of the Ten Years’ War.

In 1871, while he was with Céspedes in the midst of the Sierra Maestra mountains, he met JuanaAntunez y Antunez, the daughter of Joaquin Antunez and María Caridad Antunez, and inNovember 1874, they were married by a notary public attached to del Ejército Libertador de Cuba(the Cuban Liberation Army). Shortly afterwards they had their first son, who spent the first threeyears of his life in the jungles and mountains of Oriente, while his father fought the Spanish.

 

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Fernando Figueredo y Socarrás held several positions of importance in the revolutionary cause,including secretary to the President of the Republic in Arms, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes. WhenCéspedes was deposed in 1873, Figueredo became Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Primera División delPrimer Cuerpo del Ejército de Oriente (Chief of Staff of the 1st Division of the 1st Corps of theArmy of Oriente), under Mayor General (Major General) Manuel de Jesús Calvar. He was, next,Secretary to the Cabinet of the Third Presidente de la República de Cuba en Armas, Juán BautistaSpotorno until 1876, when he, Figueredo, was elected a member of the Cámara deRepresentatives (House of Representatives) por Oriente. By the end of the war he had risen to therank of colonel.

Figueredo was Secretario del Gobierno Revolucionario (Secretary of the RevolutionaryGovernment) and miembro del Provisional (?) después de la protesta de Baraguá (after the Protestof Baragua) el 14 de Mayo de 1878, and following La Guerra Chiquita (the Tiny War) in 1878, wentwith his family into exile, first to the Dominican Republic, and in 1881, to Key West.

  Carlos Manuel de Céspedes

In the Dominican Republic, in the town of Puerto Plata, Fernando's son, who had survived threeyears of war in Cuba, died. Soon after, on July 1, 1878, Juana gave birth to their second son,Bernardo Figueredo y Antunez, and Fernando asked his friend, the Monsignor Merino, Archbishop ofSanto Domingo, to baptize the new baby. Merino agreed, but then it was discovered that thechurch wouldn’t recognize the marriage of Fernando and Juana that had taken place four yearsearlier in the Cuban manigua. The solution, said Merino, was that he should remarry them andthat, for good measure, they should also be married by a Dominican civil judge. This was done andFernando wrote about it in his biography many years later as "mis tres bodas" (my three weddings).

After the demise of a rebellion in Cuba in 1880, many rebels went to Key West, and during the nextfive years the Cuban population there increased significantly; this migration was attributablemainly to the recovering cigar industry. Among the political exiles who arrived, giving the localleadership additional prestige, was Fernando Figueredo, who with Maceo and others, had rejectedthe Zanjón Pact and had continued fighting until surrender became inevitable.

  State Representative FernandoFigueredo, 1885

In 1881, Fernando, Juana, and Bernardo sailed for Key West, and in 1884, Fernando became a US citizen and was soon working as aclerk for the US Customs Service.   Along with Lamadriz and Poyo, Figueredo became an influential leader in the community.

Amazingly, that same year he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives from Monroe County. He became active in KeyWest community affairs and was elected superintendent of public instruction for Monroe County, but “consistently worked on behalfof Cuba Libre.” In January, 1892, José Martí and others visited Fernando’s home in Key West and there founded the CubanRevolutionary Party.

In Key West, there was not a single member of the Cuban community who did not look forward to a new revolutionary movementagainst Spain, and an organization was maintained for that purpose. Messrs. Lamadriz, Poyo and Figueredo were accepted as theleaders of this idea. They organized themselves into political groups called clubs, which were given patriotic names. Every Cuban wasexpected to belong to one of these clubs, and men, women and children were enrolled in this singular organization. All the clubssprang from the central committee of Messrs. Lamadriz, Poyo and Figueredo. Even the manufacturers were organized into a politicalclub. Some of the most noted leaders of the former revolution were ever ready to land an expedition in Cuba and start a newrevolution.

 

Figueredo presented a series of lectures at San Carlos describing his experienceduring the Ten Years War. These were subsequently published as "La Revoluciónde Yara", and provide one of the classic accounts of that struggle. He alsofounded a short‐lived newspaper, "La Voz de Hatuey", whose militancy promptedcomplaints from the Spanish ambassador in Washington, and criticism from thelocal Anglo press that condemned what it considered the weekly’s advocacy ofviolence against loyal Spaniards in Key West. Figueredo’s activities were clearlycalculated to keep the issue of Cuban independence in the public arena.

In 1893, Fernando took a position as a bookkeeper with the O’Halloran CigarCompany in Key West and the next year moved with the firm to West Tampa.Soon, his home at 404 Main Street became the meeting place and office of theCuban Revolutionary Party.  In Tampa, Fernando was "subdelegado del PartidoRevolucionario Cubano y agente de la República de Cuba" (subdelegate of theCuban Revolutionary Party and agent of the Republic of Cuba).

On January 6, 1895, when the Cuban Junta in New York decided to start activehostilities against the Spanish authorities on the island, the instructions were

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delivered to Fernando in West Tampa for transmission to Cuba. Fernandoarranged for the message to be concealed inside a special panatela cigar whichwas delivered by courier to the leaders in Cuba. On February 24, 1895, theCuban Revolution began.

 

The successful development of the area of West Tampa attracted the attentionof the city of Tampa, which had incorporated Ybor City in 1887. Although theCity of Tampa made several efforts to annex West Tampa, Hugh Macfarlane ledopposition to a merger and West Tampa chose to remain independent. On May18, 1895, a bill passed the state legislature creating West Tampa as a separatemunicipality. At that time the city already had a population of 2,815.

Main Street in West Tampa, circa 1891

In June 1895, Fernando Figueredo was elected as the first mayor of West Tampa and later that same month, when Tampa becameheadquarters for the Cuban expeditionary forces under General Emilio Nuñez, he was named second in command with the rank ofcolonel. Fernando tirelessly recruited men and money, leading numerous collections for the Cuban cause in West Tampa factories. Volunteers started pouring into Tampa from all over the US.  In 1896 Figueredo and Cuban patriot leader Martin Herrera spoke at abenefit ball for Cuban refugees in Cespedes Hall in Tampa. The Cuban population in Tampa’s Ybor City and West Tampa were strongsupporters of “Cuba Libre” and when, in April 1898, the US declared war on Spain, Tampa served as the launching point for theinvasion fleet.  Four months later, with the US victorious over Spain, many of Tampa’s Cubans returned to their homeland butFernando remained in West Tampa as chairman of the West Tampa City Council.

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Main Street in West Tampa, 1895

 

West Tampa houses, 1895

 

 

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Fernando Figueredo, around the time he wasChairman of West Tampa's City Council

A view of West Tampa's municipal center under construction, "Cespedes Hall", fromthe Fleitas Cigar Factory on Fremont Ave., 1895.  On January 26,1895, work began onCespedes Hall, a Cuban opera and clubhouse. It was built on the corner of Main Streetand Francis Ave. (later renamed Albany Ave.) in West Tampa. The city of West Tampabought Cespedes Hall in November 1895, when the society was unable to finish it.After completion it was used principally as a public school.

 

 

Fernando finally went back to Cuba onDecember 27, 1898, as deputy collector ofcustoms at Cienfuegos. In March 1899, hisfamily, who had remained in Tampa,joined him in Cienfuegos, and in early1900, he was appointed sub‐secretary ofthe interior, and moved to Havana. His"La Revolución de Yara", a history of theTen Years’ War, was published in Havanain 1902, and in May of that year, he wasappointed director‐general ofcommunications by new Cuban president,Estrada Palma.

Cespedes Hall in 1897.  In 1898, the building was used as headquarters for the cigarmaker Cuban volunteers of the Spanish American War.  Figueredo would march the troopsto Cespedes Hall daily, where General Lacret was in charge.

 

 

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This 1895 fire insurance map of West Tampa shows buildings on Main St. in the area between Howard Ave. and Francis Ave. (Now Albany Ave.)  TheO'Halloran cigar factory sat in a square in the middle of Howard Ave, which continued northward on the other side of the factory.  The small circlenext to the factory is a water tank, and the notation on the building states: "2 dozen buckets, 5,000 gal. tank in rear, no lights, man sleeps in b'ld'g. In 1899, West Tampa City Hall and fire station was built on the corner of Main St. and Francis Ave.

Click here to see enlarged images of the factory and Cespedes Hall.  You can view this interactive map at the Univ. of Florida digital images.

By 1899, Cespedes Hall had been demolished and West Tampa City Hall was being built in its place, it was the first brick building inWest Tampa.  This 1899 Sanborn map shows city hall was being built at the time.

                                            Close up of City Hall on 1899 map

 

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A view looking west on Main Street, circa 1900, with City Hall on the right.Photo from University of Florida Digital Collection where the photo is dated as 1894.

Sanborn map evidence shows that this photo cannot be from before 1899.

In 1901, a massive fire destroyed the O'Halloran cigar factory and the buildingsfrom Howard Avenue to Francis Avenue (Albany), as a result of arson during aworkers strike.  In 1902 the Fernandez Brothers opened a factory here. This closedin 1909, and it burned down in May of that year. In 1913, this became the site ofthe West Tampa Public Library.

Next time you drive up Howard Ave. from Main St. to Union St., remember, you're drivingright through the middle of where the O'Halloran cigar factory stood, and where the "cigarthat sparked a revolution" was rolled.  The West Tampa branch library on the left and thebuildings across the street were built on this historic site.

On April 4, 1904 Robert Mugge's West Tampa saloon caught on fire. The building, located on Pine Street near Howard Avenue, wasquickly devoured by the hungry flames, and before volunteer firemen arrived with their hoses reels, the blaze had spread to nearbyhomes and businesses. Authorities say the fire could have been contained to the initial area, but high winds from the northeast fannedthe flames southwestward across Howard Avenue and west down to Armenia Avenue, consuming everything in their path, including theA. Santaella cigar factory at 1906 N. Armenia. The Leopold Powell Company on the northeast corner was spared due to the winddirection, but over 100 homes and 5 factories to the southwest were destroyed.  All were constructed of highly flammable woodexcept for one factory, which was of brick.  The high winds, lack of available water sources, and West Tampa's inadequate fire fightingcapability were all blamed for the extensive damage.  Losses were estimated to be $300,000.  Read about this fire in detail from a fireinsurance newspaper article from April 20, 1904.

 

 

 

Estanislao F. O'Halloran built this one and one‐half story frame home in 1904, at the present address of 2530 Main St., between Armenia andTampania.  It was the residence of his brother, Blas F. O'Halloran and is now the property of a member of the Maseda family. 

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In 1919, at age 73, Fernando Figueredo posedwith Blas Clemente Fernandez O'Halloran, thecurrent mayor of West Tampa.  Mayor O'Halloranwas a son of Blas Fernandez O'Halloran who rolledthe "cigar that sparked a revolution."  This photowas likely taken in Cuba.  On Feb. 4, 1919, Blasobtained a passport to travel to Cuba. See images of his application.

 

 

 

Visit West Tampa at Tampapix, "A Tour of Howard Avenue" andnearby sights

 

At noonon May20th,1902, theU.S. Military Governor of Cuba, Gen. Leonard Wood, personally read PresidentTheodore Roosevelt's letter declaring that the U.S. occupation of Cuba was over.  Atthe same time, M.C. Fosnes, Dir. General of Posts for the U.S. administration, turnedover all the postal affairs to Col. Fernando Figueredo, first Postmaster General ofCuba.  The U.S. flag was lowered in Havana and the Cuban flag was raised.

In 1904, Estrada Palma appointed Fernando Figueredo as Comptroller‐General of theRepublic of Cuba, and in 1906, during the second intervention of the U.S. Governmentin Cuba, the American governor‐ general, Charles A. Magoon, named FernandoTreasurer‐General of Cuba following the death of Carlos Roloff. He remainedTreasurer‐General until the 24th of June, 1924, when he retired.

After his retirement, he wrote historical articles for newspapers and for the Academyof History in Havana, until he died in Havana on April 13, 1929. Fernando and Juanahad nine children,  Fernando, Pedro, Bernardo, María de la Concepción, Tomasa, Maríade la Luz, Evangelina, Carmen, and Leonor. On March 17, 1951, the Cuban governmentissued three postage stamps bearing his portrait.  

 

Fernando Figueredo y Socarrás was the first cousin, once removed, of Perucho Figueredo.  that is, his grandfather and Perucho's fatherwere brothers.  Fernando also had a brother named Felix Figueredo who was another major figure in the Ten Years' War.

Perucho Figueredo, Lawyer, landowner, poet and musician, was born in 1818, in Bayamo.  In the 1860s, he was active in the planningof the uprising against the Spanish which became known as the Ten Years' War. In 1867, he wrote La Bayamesa, which, today, is thenational anthem of Cuba. He fought in the Ten Years' War as a general under the command of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, but in 1870,was captured by the Spanish and was executed in Santiago de Cuba on August 17, of that year.

Information SourcesThe Cigar That Sparked a Revolution by Tony PizzoGonzalo de QuesadaHistory of CubaCuban Newspapers, "Key West ‐ The Old and the New"The HeroesCuba's Freedom Figher, Antonio MaceoThe Petrucho Figueredo PageTampa Cubanos:  race, class and identitiesFlorida Historical SocietyIn Darkest Cuba by N. G. GonzalesCentros de Hoja, stamp collection of Robert Littrell MORE West Tampa pages at Tampapix:Albany Avenue ­ See the orignal "Academy of the Holy Names" and cigar factories on Albany Ave.Columbus Drive Bridge ­ The Gateway to West Tampa, Hillsborough River & Rivercrest ParkFire Station No. 9 at Tampania and Chestnut St.Fort Homer Hesterly Armory has showcased everything from NWA wrestling to JFK, Pink Floyd and Elvis.George Guida house at MacFarlane Park ­ Once the home of "Mr. West Tampa"Howard Avenue ­ Travel along Howard Ave. from Main St. to St. Louis St.

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La Ideal Cafeteria at Tampa Bay Blvd. and Gomez Ave., a popular West Tampa landmarkLa Teresita Grocery Store at Columbus Drive and Lincoln Ave.MacFarlane Park ­ A favorite of West Tampans, named for the father of West TampaRaymond James Stadium ­ Home of the 2002 NFL Champions Tampa Bay Bucs and Super Bowl 43Tampa Bay Blvd. Elementary School ­ Built in 1926 to educate cigar workers' childrenWest Tampa Little League Ball Park ­ Home of the 1970 Senior Little League World ChampsWest Tampa History ­ The cigar that sparked a revolution, and Fernando Figueredo, West Tampa's first mayor. 

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