Sunland Tribune Volume 34 Article 2 2017 A Perspective on Preservation in Tampa: The Anglo Side of Town L. Glenn Westfall Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/sunlandtribune Part of the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Westfall, L. Glenn (2017) "A Perspective on Preservation in Tampa: The Anglo Side of Town," Sunland Tribune: Vol. 34 , Article 2. https://www.doi.org/https://doi.org/10.5038/2575-2472.34.1 Available at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/sunlandtribune/vol34/iss1/2 This Essay is brought to you for free and open access by Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Sunland Tribune by an authorized editor of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Westfall: A Perspective on Preservation in Tampa A Perspective on Preservation in Tampa: The Anglo Side of Town L. Glenn Westfall Today, the only reminders of an Ybor City and West Tampa. But the city was 1892 landmark Hillsborough Courthouse are on the verge of change. stenciled on the side of County vehicles. Locals still reminisced about the Designed and built in 1892 by nationally warehouses demolished along the renowned architect J. A. Wood in a Moorish Hillsborough River in downtown Tampa, architectural revival style, it was built sending hundreds of river rats running over simultaneously along with Henry B. Plant’s the feet of frightened downtowners on magnificent Tampa Bay Hotel on the other lunch break. The city skyline was side of the Hillsborough River. silhouetted with a water tower on top of In 1953, a valiant but unsuccessful the Knight and Wall building, disguised as effort to save the Courthouse from an “Early Times” whiskey bottle. It too was demolition was led by Mrs. William Hunter, soon demolished. member of the Tampa branch of the Just between Tampa and the new Daughters of the American Revolution. University of South Florida, opened in 1960, Unfortunately, this was a time in American is a suburb known as Sulphur Springs. The history when cities did not fully appreciate Maves Hotel and Arcade was a focal point, the significance of landmark structures. In situated at the corners of Nebraska Avenue the following decades, many historic and Bird Street. With classical white arches structures were demolished, found today on the front façade, it was one of Florida’s only in archival records. first indoor shopping centers on the first After moving from San Francisco to floor, with 39 rooms and apartments on the Tampa Bay in 1968, I witnessed Tampa’s second level. The Sulphur Springs Tourist loss of several unique historic buildings. It Club on the Hillsborough River had a forty- was apparent there was a need to broadly foot water slide and a gator farm. expand public knowledge of history and Constructed in the mid-1920s, these architectural preservation. City blocks of buildings acquired a national reputation as cigar casitas, factories or family owned popular tourist attractions. Locals and businesses were demolished when tourists enjoyed swimming in the mineral Interstates I-4 and I- 75 cut through the water of the springs, but the peculiar heart and soul of its Latino communities, combination of sulphur with orange Published by Scholar Commons, 2017 6 Sunland Tribune, Vol. 34 [2017], Art. 2 blossoms in the springtime were often information on railroad tycoon Henry B. described on postcards. Plant. There was an imposing vista of Dr. Covington made me an Tampa on a balcony on top of the white aficionado of Tampa History by introducing 214-foot Sulphur Springs water tower. Built me to local “movers and shakers.” They over an artesian well, it supplied water to included Leland Hawes, Herbert McKay, local residents who didn’t seem to mind the Hampton Dunn, Theodore Lesley, John D. malodorous water. In 1951, the Tower Ware, Margaret Chapman, E. J. Salcines, Drive-In Theater was added as yet another Roland Manteiga, Jim and Martha Ferman, attraction. and Tony Pizzo. Sulphur Springs was a unique In 1970, when I was invited to community unto itself, only a few miles present a lecture discussing my research on from downtown. But by the early 1970s, in Tampa’s Latino Communities, Dr. Covington spite of efforts to save the Arcade from introduced me to a Tampa Historical Society demolition for a parking lot, only the water (THS) founder, Nonita Cuesta Henson, tower, the Springs Theater, and the springs whose grandfather Angel L. Cuesta was a remain. The ambiance of Sulphur Springs legend in Tampa’s cigar trade. After the was all but forgotten to urban sprawl. Other lecture Nonita invited me to her home to than the still-imposing tower, Sulphur view her private collection of cobalt blue, Springs is now a blighted, neglected corner gold lettering Cuesta Rey stock certificates. of town. A cigar band label collection included rare Coca-Cola bands from the late 1920s, The most memorable individual I originally placed on a limited edition of first met in Tampa was Dr. James Cuesta Rey cigars. Nonita was a morale Covington, Professor of History at the booster and financial supporter in University of Tampa. After arriving in the establishing an historical organization, 1950s, he was involved in one of Tampa’s encouraging me to become further first historical organizations, the involved. Hillsborough County Historical Commission. But by the 1970s, it was nearly defunct, Prior to the actual incorporation of serving primarily as a repository for a few THS, there were several months of artifacts stored in the Courthouse. organizational discussions held at Nonita’s home to establish an official non-profit My first visit with Dr. Covington organization. In 1970 I gave Nonita and Dr. sparked his interest when I told him about Covington copies of the Articles of my father’s life with the Florida Seminoles Incorporation for the Florida Historical in the early 1920s, one of the few white Society. They copied it verbatim, submitting men to witness the sacred Green Corn it to the State of Florida, and on May 26, Dance. Dr. Covington, a noted authority on 1971, Tampa Historical Society was officially the Seminoles, was also a wealth of registered as a non-profit organization. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/sunlandtribune/vol34/iss1/2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5038/2575-2472.34.1 7 Westfall: A Perspective on Preservation in Tampa In the ensuing years, lectures and community to record personal observations events were periodically held in various city and memories in an official journal. The locations. Temporary headquarters were Sunland Tribune, an annual highlight for established in room 434 at the University of members, was sent out each fall to their Tampa, compliments of Dr. Covington. homes. It continued recording significant Formative meetings were an opportunity to stories and aspects of Tampa History that meet board members. Hampton Dunn otherwise would have otherwise been invited me to join him on a number of his forgotten to time. speaking trips throughout Florida. E. J. The University of South Florida soon Salcines and Anthony Pizzo gave me initiated its own historical journal, Tampa invaluable insights to the Latino Bay History, which primarily published communities while Theodore Lesley invited articles by USF professors. (It is currently me to go through his file cabinets published jointly by the USF Libraries and overflowing with local historical papers and the Tampa Bay History Center.) documents regarding the sale of family land to V. M. Ybor. By 1977, I was appointed to the THS Board as an ongoing search was The need to preserve a disappearing underway to acquire appropriate history was evident at the death of headquarters. Out of a long list of possible Theodore Lesley. After heirs took what they locations, the most affordable and wanted, the remaining historical files were historically relevant was 245 South Hyde placed in a garage sale. Papers were Park, the original 1890 honeymoon cottage scattered across the floor as a viable local of Col. Peter O. Knight. collection was destroyed. This unfortunate loss further catalyzed the need to preserve In the late 1880s, the Lafayette Tampa History. Bridge built over the Hillsborough River gave access to a new Hyde Park residential In 1974, Tony Pizzo brought to the community. By 1890, a honeymoon cottage Board’s attention an 1882 article in the was constructed at 245 South Hyde Park Sunland Tribune, reporting: “Tampa should Avenue for Peter O. Knight and his new have a Historical Society without delay.” bride. The newlyweds lived at this address Ninety-two years later, the first issue of the until a larger, more commodious home was new, revived Sunland Tribune was built. Col. Knight soon became a prominent published, supported by local businesses figure in Tampa, serving as a public servant, and member contributions. Col. George lawyer, and President of the Tampa Electric Mercer Brook was portrayed on the front Company. cover of the first edition with an article about his impact on early Tampa. The yearly Symbolically, two love birds were publication expanded through the 1990s, carved and placed above the front porch of offering publishing access for local residents the honeymoon cottage. It contained 5 as well as scholars. This was the first rooms with an apartment connected to the opportunity for members of the Tampa back though a hallway in what is now the Published by Scholar Commons, 2017 8 Sunland Tribune, Vol. 34 [2017], Art. 2 Board Room. An outhouse stood along the The interior floors of the cottage, driveway, functional until an indoor constructed with durable termite-proof restroom was added. The driveway and Dade County pine, were sanded and sidewalks were multi-colored hexagonal refinished while extensive shelving was blocks typical of the original Hyde Park installed in the designated Board Room.