Timeline of Tampa, Florida facts for kids

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Tampa in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States.

19th century

Quick facts for kids History of Florida
The seal of Florida reflects the state's Native American ancestry
Historical Periods
Pre-history	until 1497
Spanish Rule	1513–1763
British Rule	1763–1783
Spanish Rule	1783–1821
U.S. Territorial Period	1822–1845
Statehood	1845–present
Major Events
American Revolutionary War	1775–1783
War of 1812	1811–1814
First Seminole War	1817–1818
Capitol moved to Tallahassee	1824
Second Seminole War	1835–1842
Constitutional convention	1838
Third Seminole War	1855–1858
Ordinance of Secession	1861
Civil War	1861–1865
3rd Constitution	1865
Reconstruction	1865–1868
4th Constitution	1868
5th Constitution	1885
Great Migration	1910–1930
Land Boom	1925–1929
6th Constitution	1968
Gore v. Harris 2000 Presidential Election	2000
Timeline
v t e

• 1824 – Fort Brooke established by U.S. Army in the Territory of Florida.
• 1831 – Tampa Bay post office established.
• 1845 – Tampa Bay becomes part of the new U.S. state of Florida.
• 1848 – 1848 Tampa Bay hurricane.
• 1849 – Village of Tampa incorporated.
• 1850 – Oaklawn Cemetery established.
• 1855 – Town of Tampa incorporated.
• 1856 – Joseph B. Lancaster becomes mayor.
• 1859 – First Baptist Church established.
• 1861 – Town becomes part of Confederate States of America.
• 1862 – June 30-July 1: Battle of Tampa.
• 1863 – October 16–18: Battle of Fort Brooke.
• 1873
  • Yellow fever outbreak.
  • Tampa Guardian newspaper in publication.
• 1877 – Gainesville-Tampa stagecoach begins operating.
• 1882 – Hillsborough High School opens.
• 1884 – South Florida Railroad begins operating.
• 1885 – Board of Trade established.
• 1886
  • Sanchez & Haya cigar factory begins operating.
  • Ybor Factory Building constructed.
• 1887
  • Ybor City becomes part of Tampa.
  • Tampa Electric Company established.
• 1888 – Plant Park laid out.
• 1889 – Florida Railway begins operating.
• 1890
  • Tampa Business College established.
  • Telephones begin operating.
• 1891
  • Tampa Bay Hotel built.
  • Cuban José Martí gives speech "Los Pinos Nuevos".
• 1893 – Tampa Daily Times newspaper begins publication.
• 1895 – Tampa Fire Department established.
• 1899
  • Burgert photo studio in business.
  • Circulo Cubano founded.
• 1900 – Tampa Woman's Club formed.

20th century

1900s-1950s

• 1901 – Jackson Rooming House in business.
• 1904 – South Florida Fair and Gasparilla Parade begin.
• 1905
  • Columbia Restaurant in business.
  • Sacred Heart Catholic Church and United States Courthouse Building constructed.
• 1907
  • St. Andrew's Episcopal Church built.
  • Havatampa Cigar Company in business.
• 1908 – YMCA built.
• 1912
  • Union Station opens.
  • El Centro Español de Tampa building constructed.
  • El Comercio Spanish-language newspaper begins publication.
  • Union Hotel in business.
• 1913 – Centro Asturiano de Tampa building constructed.
• 1914 – St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line begins operating.
• 1915 – Tampa City Hall built.
• 1916 – Heraldo Dominical Spanish-language newspaper begins publication.
• 1917
  • Tampa Public Library opens.
  • Circulo Cubano de Tampa rebuilt.
• 1918 – Unione Italiana building constructed.
• 1920 – Population: 51,608.
• 1922
  • WDAE radio begins broadcasting.
  • La Gaceta trilingual newspaper begins publication.
• 1924 – Gandy Bridge to St. Petersburg built.
• 1925
  • West Tampa becomes part of Tampa.
  • Municipal Auditorium built.
  • WFLA radio begins broadcasting.
• 1926
  • Junior League of Tampa founded.
  • Tampa Theatre opens.
• 1927
  • Sulphur Springs Water Tower erected.
  • Floridan Hotel in business.
• 1930 – Population: 101,161.
• 1931
  • Labor strike of cigar workers.
  • Tampa Junior College established.
• 1934 – Davis Causeway opens.
• 1938 – Janus Administration Building constructed.
• 1939 – U.S. Army Southeast Air Base established.
• 1940 – Population: 108,391.
• 1950 – Population: 124,681.
• 1955 - WFLA-TV and WTVT (television) begin broadcasting.
• 1956 – Britton Plaza Shopping Center in business.
• 1957 – Lowry Park Zoo opens.
• 1959 – Busch Gardens theme park in business.

1960s-1990s

• 1960 – Population: 274,970.
• 1961 - The Pinellas Manufacturers Association (now known as the Bay Area Manufacturers Association) was formed.
• 1962 – Museum of Science and Industry founded.
• 1966 – Franklin Exchange Building constructed.
• 1968 - Hope Children's Home established.
• 1970 – Population: 277,767.
• 1972
  • Sant'Yago Knight Parade begins.
  • Floriland Cinema in business.
• 1978 – Cracker Country (museum) established.
• 1979
  • May 8: Storm.
  • Tampa Museum of Art founded.
• 1980
  • Hillsborough Area Regional Transit established.
  • Population: 271,523.
• 1981 – Feeding America Tampa Bay active (approximate date).
• 1982 – Foreign trade zone and Ybor City Museum Society established.
• 1984 – Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System established.
• 1986 – Barnett Plaza (hi-rise) built.
• 1987
  • Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center opens.
  • Children's Museum founded.
• 1988 – Rivergate Tower built.
• 1989 – Tampa Bay History Center founded.
• 1990
  • Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival begins.
  • Population: 280,015.
• 1992 – AmSouth Building and SunTrust Financial Centre constructed.
• 1995 – Florida Aquarium opens.
• 1996
  • City website online.
  • Ice Palace (arena) opens.
• 1997
  • Jim Davis becomes U.S. representative for Florida's 11th congressional district.
  • Tampa Police Museum founded.
• 2000 - Channelside 9 Cinemas in business.

21st century

• 2001
  • The Stovall built.
  • Tampa Gallery of Photographic Arts opens.
  • Ruby (programming language) conference held in city.
• 2002
  • January 5: 2002 Tampa plane crash.
  • TECO Line Streetcar begins operating; Centennial Park Station and Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union Station open.
• 2003 – Whiting Station opens.
• 2004
  • Ford Amphitheatre opens.
  • Tampa Riverwalk construction begins.
• 2007
  • SkyPoint built.
  • Kathy Castor becomes U.S. representative for Florida's 11th congressional district.
• 2009 – Tampa Bay History Center opens.
• 2010 – Population: city 335,709; metro 2,783,243.
• 2011
  • Florida Voices begins publication.
  • Bob Buckhorn becomes mayor.
  • Population: 346,037; metro 2,824,724.
• 2012 – August: 2012 Republican National Convention held.
• 2014 – Tampa Baseball Museum opens.
• 2018-21 – Water Street Tampa construction takes place
• 2019
  • Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute opens.
  • Jane Castor becomes mayor.