Florida Conversations is free and open to the public. It is underwritten by the Tampa Bay History Center Endowment Fund at the University of South Florida with media sponsorship from WUSF Public Broadcasting. The series is co-sponsored by USF Libraries and the Tampa Bay History Center. Online reservations are encouraged.
Florida Conversations for 2023-2024 will be presented in-person, in TECO Hall at the History Center, and virtually through Zoom. A recording will be posted on YouTube after the event.
Tour Tampa’s only National Historic Landmark District and learn about early Ybor City people, social life and work culture. Stroll past mutual aid societies, the Ybor Cigar Factory and other key landmarks.
Each walking tour lasts 90-min. beginning at 10 a.m. Limited to 25 people, participants will walk approximately one mile along public sidewalks and brick streets. Please wear comfortable shoes and attire for walking outside.
Meeting Place: Join the tour at the steps of the Cuban Club, 2010 N Avenida Republica de Cuba (N 14th St), Tampa, Fla.
Parking: Parking is available on nearby streets, or in the Fernando Noriega Jr parking garage.
Tickets: Advance tickets are required and private tours are available by calling (813) 228-0097.
Learn about Tampa’s compelling history as you stroll past City Hall, Sacred Heart Church, the Floridan Palace Hotel and even Tampa’s oldest bar, The Hub, on this guided trek!
Each walking tour lasts 90-min. beginning at 10 a.m. Limited to 25 people, participants will walk approximately one mile along public sidewalks and brick streets. Please wear comfortable shoes and attire for walking outside.
Meeting Place: Join the tour at center of Lykes Gaslight Park (400 N. Franklin St, Tampa, Fla. 33602).
Parking: Street parking is available in downtown Tampa.
Tickets: Advance tickets are required and private tours are available by calling (813) 228-0097.
Click the Other Dates and Other Times links above to select the best weekend for your Chinsegut Hill adventure.
Home tours are free for History Center members. Sign in to your account using the link above.
We are excited to announce the launch of the Black History Book Club at St. James @ Encore! Starting Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, this initiative promises to be a beacon of knowledge, reflection, and community engagement in the heart of Tampa Bay.
The club’s sessions will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the charming St. James @ Encore at 1202 N. Governor Street. These enriching discussions will occur on the last Monday of February, April, June, August, and October, and the second Monday in December 2024.
Explore the vibrant Encore housing neighborhood and delve into the rich history of Tampa's historic Black community, known as Central Avenue or "the scrub." Discover tales of the area's musical references which offer insights into African-American life in Tampa from the 1890' to the 1960s.
Each walking tour lasts 90-min. beginning at 10 a.m. Toura are limited to 25 people; participants will walk approximately one mile along public sidewalks, brick streets, and through the Perry Harvey Sr. park. Please wear comfortable shoes and attire for walking outside.
Meeting Place: Join the tour at the entrance to St. James Church, within the Encore housing neighborhood, located at 1205 N. Governors Avenue, Tampa Fl.
Tickets: Advance tickets are required.
Join us at the History Center’s Atrium and Wayne Thomas Gallery for a delicious fusing of free pizza… and history. And when you can’t chow down anymore, head over to the 1920’s exhibit, Decade of Change,where you’ll be amazed by this period’s artifacts and trivia. So eat up (but heads up: there’s a cash bar).
Guests should be between 18 and 30 years old. Admittance is free, but registration is required.
Experience the West Tampa Black History Walking Tour, a captivating 90-minute exploration of significant historical sites in Tampa’s Black community.
Throughout the tour, participants will delve into the rich Black history of West Tampa, visiting key locations such as the former sites of J. W. Roberts City (West Tampa's inaugural brick cigar factory), University of Tampa's I. W. Phillips Field (football stadium), Clara Frye Memorial Hospital for Negro patients, Tampa's initial public housing development, and the childhood homes of notable figures in Hillsborough County's Black community.
Limited to 25 people, participants will walk approximately half to one mile along public sidewalks. Please wear comfortable shoes and attire to walk outside.
Meeting Place: This tour meets inside Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. You should park for free near the Tampa River Center (402 Laurel St, Tampa, FL 33607) and meet your tour guide at the flag pole.
Tickets: Advance tickets are required and private tours are available by called (813) 228-0097.