History

While American football can trace its roots back to the mid-1800s, the tradition of the tight, circular huddle began in 1892 to serve a very niche purpose.

Apalachicola resident Dr. John Gorrie was an early pioneer in the invention of the artificial manufacture of ice, refrigeration and air conditioning. He was granted the first United States patent for mechanical refrigeration in 1851. Dr. Gorrie’s basic principle is the one most often used in refrigeration today: cooling caused by the rapid expansion of gases.

Historic tours, like the annual Buildings Alive! Ybor Architectural Hop, take visitors behind the scenes of Ybor City’s most storied buildings.

Now called Casa Oliva, the stately building at 2008 N. 19th St., used to be one of the oldest cigar factories in Ybor City. The building once housed hundreds of cigar-rolling workers sitting at rows and rows of tables, but now it contains 38 apartments.

Labor Day gives us a day off to relax and spend with friends or family. But most people probably aren’t aware of the holiday’s violent origins.

Want to learn Ybor City’s history? Take the Tampa Bay History Center’s guided walking tour.

Many of us have enjoyed the sand and surf at Honeymoon Island, but might not know how the white sandy beach got its name.

Walk into a world encompassing old Tampa charm, early 20th-century jazz and dazzling interior decoration at the Floridan Palace Hotel.

The National Archives has launched a Citizen Archivist program, enlisting virtual volunteers to improve the accessibility of its records.

Tradition is important to Chris Salgado and Julissa Orama, so when Julissa’s parents could no longer run El Gallo de Oro, their West Tampa family restaurant, it seemed natural for the young couple to take over.

Tarpon Springs is internationally known for its sponge docks, developed by experienced Greek divers in the late 1800s.

Many know that soul music originated from Memphis’ Stax Records and Detroit’s Motown, but did you know it has Florida roots, too? In fact, the famed dance “The Twist” got its start in Tampa.

To know Al Lang Stadium only for its views of downtown St. Petersburg and the waterfront does a disservice to the region’s oldest and most historical professional sports venue.

The Vinoy is an important piece of St. Petersburg’s history, with guests ranging from celebrities in its ’20s heyday to the homeless in the ‘80s, when the hotel sat vacant.

When thinking of Labor Day you often picture picnics, barbecues and parades. However, Labor Day, celebrated the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to social and economic achievements of American workers.

When the Morean Arts Center opened in 1917 as the Art Club of St. Petersburg, it was the first art gallery south of Atlanta. A group of artists seeking space to work, teach and show their art collaborated on a space initially on Beach Drive.

The City of Tampa has released an interesting collection of photographs that capture everyday life in Tampa from 1940 to 1990.

Before the Florida Orchestra formed in 1966, there were two Tampa Bay area orchestras: the Tampa Philharmonic and the St. Petersburg Symphony.

The recent housing boom in Riverview is not the area’s first boom. The area southeast of Tampa was a hot spot for phosphate mining in the mid-1880s.

Twenty-five years ago, when The Florida Holocaust Museum opened its first exhibit “Anne Frank in the World,” it drew 24,000 visitors in its first month.

In the early days, Ybor City’s chickens were merely a food source for residents.

Tampa played an important role in the Spanish-American War and the fight for Cuban independence.

Roses Park is one of St. Petersburg’s oldest parks, and the neighborhood around it formed the city’s first historic district.

A former firehouse on a creek now offers a full spectrum of arts, education and culture to south Hillsborough County. The Firehouse Cultural Center sits on land donated by the Ruskin Commongood Society, which was heavily influenced by the writings and philosophy of John Ruskin, a British art critic, social thinker and poet.

The Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club has drawn many well-to-do snowbirds, baseball stars and celebrities who have marveled at its impressive architecture and lavish atmosphere.

On the University of Tampa campus, in the south wing of the former Tampa Bay Hotel, is a museum that will transport you back to the elegance of the Victorian era.

Tampa will dye the Hillsborough River green for the Mayor’s River O’Green Fest on Saturday, March 18. As with most St. Patrick’s Day traditions, the practice actually started in America. Chicago, to be exact.

What does one do if she’s new to the ‘Burg and wants to meet new people? She joins St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club. No, I’m not 80. Shuffleboard is a fun pastime for all ages, but especially young professionals.

The city of St. Petersburg is rich in significance for February’s Black History Month.

Five civic-minded men had a vision of preserving and enhancing Tampa’s rich Latin heritage. Dr. Henry J. Fernandez, Cesar Gonzmart, Joseph R. Lopez, Daniel F. Martinez and Joe C. Granda created one of Tampa’s most prolific krewes at Ybor’s old Las Novedades restaurant in 1970.