Although fine cigars are synonymous with Cuba, for a few decades in the early twentieth century, Tampa Bay’s Ybor City surpassed Havana as the cigar capital of the world.

Manufacturers moved to Key West in the late 1860s to avoid paying high tariffs on their products and the increasing political unrest in Cuba.

Led by Vicente Martinez Ybor and Ignacio Haya, several factories relocated to Tampa Bay in the mid-1880s. Tampa presented several advantages—a deep port, a new rail line, a humid climate, and a fresh water supply.

The town, named for Vicente Ybor, surpassed Havana as the world’s leading cigar producer by 1900. The community also became known for its mutual aid societies. Founded by different ethnic groups, these organizations provided recreation activities and medical care.

Ybor City experienced a decline in the 1930s when the Depression, the growing unpopularity of cigarettes, and improvements in machine-rolled cigars forced residents to look for other places to live and work.

Today, the Ybor City Historic District is one of only three National Historic Landmark Districts in Florida.

Information courtesy of Florida Division of Historical Resources.