______________..The interactive museum of Tampa Cigar Industry...........................

Streetcar #416 in Port Tampa route, circa 1910's

________________________________________________________

 

Streetcar #408 in route between Ybor City and Tampa, circa 1917's

_________________________________________________

 

Streetcar # 417 in Downtown Tampa, circa 1927's

 

_______________________________________________________

First Streetcar, operated by The Tampa Street Railway, Co. in 1886. Established by V.M. Ybor & Eduardo Manrara (shown standing in business-suit, and derby).

_______________________________________________________

 

Streetcar #51 at Main and Albany Street on April 1913, in route to Ybor City.

_______________________________________________________

 

 

During the fabulous eighties, Tampa got its first street railway. This transportation system was financed by the immense funds of Vicente Martinez Ybor and Eduardo Manrara. The company was called the Tampa Street Railway. the line commenced operations in late 1886, with C.E. Purcell as general manager. It connected Ybor City, running through a scrub area, to Tampa proper. The line was three and one-half miles long; three feet inches gauge, and owned eight small cars and three wood burning steam engines. The fare was five centers and it ran almost daily. Side tracks were run to the doors of every factory in Ybor City, and cigar and tobacco were hauled to and from the railroad depots and steamship wharfs. Later on two other street railways were created to connected more Ybor City, Tampa, and West Tampa... In 1893, the Consumer Electric Light & Street Railway Company became the first to operate in the area. Prior to the arrival the only public transportation system in the entire Tampa Bay region were short railroad line that ran between Ybor City and Tampa and a limited street line within the city. With the completion of the Fortune Street Bridge in February 1893, the streetcar lines were extended into West Tampa. Then took the looks of a cosmopolitan young city, and hundred of workers crossed the river everyday as they made their way from their home in Ybor City and Tampa. From 5:30 in the morning to 8:30 at night, seven days a week, it was possible to move from one end of the Tampa Bay to the other for a single price of five cents. The streetcar routes will eventually cover, Ybor City, Palmetto, Tampa, West Tampa, and Port Tampa. The service was descontinue by the lates 50's, and by late 90's was back again in a short tourist route between Ybor City and Tampa...

Trademark & copyrights reserved@GHCC2006

Created & Developed by W. Reyes and D. Martin

Hosted by American Dream Hosting.com

06.13.06