Here at Chemistry, does the name ‘tanpa’ ring a bell? It loosely translates to ‘sticks of fire’. That’s what the Calusa tribe called this area long ago.
Chemistry is part of the University of South Florida. It stands thirteen stories tall. It is officially known as CHE.
Jack Fernandez, a Chemistry professor, shared his experiences here. He recalled what campus life was like during tumultuous times in US history. His oral history is preserved at the University of South Florida.
Tampa’s history stretches back centuries. Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon sought the fountain of youth south of Tampa Bay in 1521. Hernando de Soto looked for gold in 1539. They were unsuccessful. The area remained largely uninhabited for two centuries.
Spanish mapmakers first called this region Tampa around 1695. In 1772, a Dutch cartographer officially named the area Hillsborough.
The US Army established Fort Brooke in 1824. This marked Tampa’s first permanent settlement. Today, the modern Tampa Convention Center stands on that very spot. Fort Brooke protected residents against Seminole uprisings. It became a thriving frontier outpost.
Henry B. Plant brought a rail line here in 1884. He opened the lavish Tampa Bay Hotel in 1891. The hotel is now part of the University of Tampa.
Exiled Cuban manufacturer Vicente Martinez Ybor opened a cigar factory in 1885. It attracted workers from Cuba and Europe. Ybor City became the world’s cigar capital. It had about 200 cigar factories. These factories employed almost 12,000 people.
In 1914, the first regularly scheduled commercial flight soared from St. Petersburg to Tampa. Tampa became a shipbuilding center during both World Wars. MacDill Air Force Base opened during WWII.
The University of South Florida is a major research university here. It offers many academic programs. It enriches the city’s educational environment.
Today, Tampa thrives as a diverse urban region. It is one of the United States’ top five most diverse cities. The erupting water and fire sculpture at the Tampa Convention Center pays tribute to Tampa’s roots.