Casita

La Setima

(the main street of the historic district)

Land-o-Lakes, FL: Sandy and Dan picked us up this morning and we drove over to Ybor City. What a neat place! It was founded by Vincente Martinez Ybor (e-bor) who immigrated to Cuba from Spain and started a cigar factory. He then moved it to Key West and after having labor problems purchased a tract of land north of Tampa and built a brand new cigar factory there in 1884. Along with the cigar factory he built stores and restaurants and then built little houses (casitas) for the workers. The workers could buy the house for $400 interest free. They could walk to work. The work force consisted of Spanish, Cuban, and Italian immigrants. The workers hired lectors who would read to them all day. First he would read the newspaper—and always in Spanish. Then he would read novels. The workers decided what they wanted the lector to read and each worker paid him 25 cents a week. They became very educated and the Italians learned to speak Spanish to boot. Each ethnic group had their own social clubs—beautiful buildings—where they could socialize, receive cheap medical care and other help. This is a really neat place with red brick buildings, wrought iron balconies and narrow brick streets which give it an old world charm. We had lunch at the Columbia Restaurant. A beautiful building with Spanish architecture and really good food.