Covering nine acres along the east bank of the Hillsborough River, the Straz Center for the Performing Arts opened in July of 1987 known then as the “Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.” Following “...the largest philanthropic gift ever made to a cultural institution in Tampa...” in November of 2009 by financier David A. Straz, Jr., it was renamed in his honor.
This is the second largest performing arts complex in the southeastern United States (after the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami). This complex consists of five distinct theaters - (1) the Carol Morsine Hall (2600 seats); (2) Ferguson Hall (1042 seats); (3) Jaeb Theater (292 seats); (4) TECO Energy Foundation Theater (250 seats); and (5) the Shimberg Playhouse (130 seats). In addition, the Center also houses a rehearsal hall, retail shops, restaurant, and banquet facilities. Another portion of the Center is the Patel Conservatory (an educational program) consisting of 20 studios, a sound/lighting laboratory, a technical theater workshop, and a costume shop (among other venues).
On average, just over 600,000 guests per year visit this complex to see Broadway shows, Grand Operas, and/or concerts. We were fortunate to receive a private guided tour of the facilities during our Tampa stay. Our thanks go to the staff of the Straz Center for the Performing Arts for their generous hospitality.

This complex of five performance centers, and so much more,offers some of the best entertainment in the city...

...including the most popular shows Broadway has to offer.

Everything about this complex is impressive.

With 2600 seats, the Carol Morsine Hall is the largest theater of this complex.

Two budding performers take to the stage!

At 40 feet wide and 20 feet deep, the Jaeb theater can be configured for stadium or cabaret seating.

Ferguson Hall is the second largest theater in the Straz Center.

A more intimate area is the Shimberg Playhouse.

In addition, there are 20 smaller studios and a bunch of technical workshop areas for every aspect of the performing arts.

A truly amazing backstage area allows for incoming theatrical performances to unload and reload all of the equipment and scenery.

The Straz Center’s Maestro Restaurant (located above the Jaeb Theater) is one of three dining facilities in the complex (along with Maestro’s Cafe and Maestro’s On The River).

Maestro ‘s also offers banquet facilities for up to 200 guests.

Henry B. plant created an empire in Florida of railroads, steamships, and hotels through the late 1800’s. The flagship of his empire , and for which he is most noted, is his luxurious “Tampa Bay Hotel.”
Entirely paid for out of his own pocket (with no outside investors), the hotel took two years to complete. It was a quarter-mile long, covered six acres, and had 511 rooms. Each of the rooms were all electric (a first for Florida) and each had its own telephone (most had a private bath).
Opened in February of 1891, the Moorish Revival styled building contained six minarets, four cupolas, three domes and was considered to be fireproof. In addition, to having the first elevator in Florida, Plant’s Tampa Bay Hotel boasted a barbershop, beauty salon, telegraph office, flower shop, a formal dining room and a music room with a full orchestra. The grounds of the hotel spanned 150 acres and included an 18 hole golf course, race track, boat house, tennis courts, hunting and fishing areas, and a casino. In all, there were 21 buildings throughout the complex.
When the Spanish-American War occurred in 1898, Plant was able to convince the U.S. Military to use his hotel as a base of operations. Colonel Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders were among the military personnel that stayed here, holding battle exercises on the grounds., prior to invading Cuba.
Many famous personalities enjoyed the luxurious hospitality of Plant’s wonderful establishment. Among these were Clara Barton, the Prince of Wales, Sarah Bernhardt, Winston Churchill, and Babe Ruth.
When the Great Depression hit in 1930, the hotel suffered along with the rest of the country, eventually closing. It remained empty and unused until 1932 when the Tampa Bay Junior College moved in and transformed the rooms into offices and classrooms. Eventually, this college became the University of Tampa. While most of the upper floors of the hotel continue to function as part of the University, the South Wing of the ground floor has been transformed into a museum focusing on the Golden Age of Tourism (circa 1870 to 1900). Today, the building is a U.S. National Historic Landmark.

Henry B. Plant (1819 to 1899) created an empire of hotels, railroads and steamships.

His most renowned achievement was the Tampa Bay Hotel, which he completely funded from his own pocket.

The hotel’s most recognized features were the six minarets which gave it the Moorish Revival image.

This was truly a very elegant edifice.

As the hotel was being constructed, Plant toured Europe in search of furnishings that would fit the image of luxury he wished to create for his hotel.

The main foyer as it looked on opening day...

...and as it appears today.

Among the many services the hotel provided was exemplified by this room dedicated to music.

Throughout the day, many of the hotel’s guests would spend time in the Writing and Reading Room ( reading newspapers of the time or writing correspondence that would travel to all corners of the world).

This is the most historic room in the hotel. All the furniture and artwork are original to when the hotel opened in 1891.

Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders made the hotel their base of operations as they prepared to invade Cuba during the Spanish-American War.

We visited Tampa during December of 2019, so everything was decorated for the holiday.

During its heyday, the hotel was a very popular tourist destination, in spite of its high price-tag for the time ($15 per day when most other accommodations were $5 per day or less).

Twenty years ago (1999), a group of residents living along the banks of the Hillsborough River, formed the “Friends of the River.” Their stated mission was to promote the importance of the river to Tampa’s economy and, thus, to make sure the waters stayed clean.
However, what the group is most noted for is their sponsorship of the annual “Holiday Lighted Boat Parade.” Held a few days before Christmas, this parade, which is meant to celebrate the life restored to the River, includes all types of water craft ( up to 200 vessels for the 2019 event), decorated in the holiday spirit. The watercraft owners who wished to participate, lined up at Tampa’s Convention Center and traveled the River, following the Riverwalk, to Armature Works and then returned.
As has been the case with many events we have witnessed during our travels, happenstance informed us of this parade. We were fortunate that our apartment was only a couple of blocks from the Hillsborough River. This allowed us the opportunity to secure a prime viewing area next to the Curtis Hixon Waterfront Winter Village in plenty of time to see the whole parade.
It was interesting to experience Christmas without the typical snow on the ground, to which we had grown accustomed.
As you will notice in the accompanying photographs, this viewing spot had the parade of boats backdropped by the illuminated University of Tampa campus and its Henry Plant historic hotel. It was perfect. We did not include any captions to the pictures because we felt they spoke for themselves ( although the first two photos are of the Curtis Hixon Waterfront Winter Village area). We were amazed by the variety of decorations on the boats. Some were simple, while others were quite elaborate.
​ So....why Christmas in July? By now, you may have noticed that there is a delay between an event or attraction we experienced and our blogging about it. The answer is that we often see as many as five different attractions in a day, but only are able to blog about one ( because of the time it takes to gather information, put it into a cohesive format, and then choose appropriate pictures for each posting . On top of that, Weebly limits the number of photos we can attach to each posting). So in December of 2019, we were in Tampa for a month and got to see this marvelous parade.

Much of Tampa’s waterfront, back in the 1970’s, was older warehouses and commercial properties that dealt with the Port of Tampa. William Poe, the mayor at that time, envisioned a walkway and park behind the city’s civic center. Originally, this was supposed to have been a short boardwalk on the east side of the Hillsborough River. Disinterest in the project by subsequent administrations and a lack of funding, stalled it for a long time.
In 2002, then mayoral candidate, Pam Lorio decided she wanted to re-jumpstart the project. Following her election, construction began behind the Amalie Arena, along with a fund-raising campaign to complete the project.
By 2014, a Federal Transportation Grant was awarded in order to connect all the existing segments into one 2.6 mile long continuous park. Completed in 2016, the new Riverwalk extended past the Straz Center for the Performing Arts. During the course of construction, a total of 18 bronze busts of prominent figures in Tampa’s history were installed along the walkway.
​ Today, in addition to connecting several waterfront parks, the Riverwalk passes a number of Tampa’s museums, making this a family treasure.
​

Tampa’s three year old Riverwalk is a treasure worth exploring.

It follows the Hillsborough River through the center of town.

While exploring the Riverwalk, we came across this pavilion sponsored by the city’s National Football League team ...

......but.... it’s a ice skating rink? Football and ice skating...now that’s a combination!

What a beautiful day! Who would guess that this is mid-December?

Water taxis can transport folks to various locations along the River.

Connecting various parks along its route, the Riverwalk provides everyone with something to do...

...including children.

Is this for real?... in the middle of the city?

Along the walkway are 18 bronze statues of prominent citizens in Tampa’s history, including this one of Civil Rights attorney Frangiago Rodriguez Jr.

Following Tampa’s original incorporation in 1855, the city began a steady growth with immigrants from Cuba, Spain, and Italy. These new transplants created a growth-industry that quickly became the backbone of Tampa’s economy; cigar manufacturing.
By 1915, Tampa needed a new city hall. Built on land that once had been occupied by an 1842 frame house, the new structure was designed by Malachi Leo Elliott. The eight story “layer-cake” building included ornamental head decorations modeled on Seminole Native American women with braided hair. A four story annex served as Tampa’s police headquarters.
C. Hortense Oppenheimer, socialite daughter of a prominent physician (Louis Sims Oppenheimer) was immensely bothered by the fact that the new city hall did not have a clock tower. She soon launched a fund raising campaign to put one on the building. Her organization, “Ye Town Criers” raised $1,200, which was matched by private donors. For her efforts, Tampa named the clock tower “Hortense the Beautiful.”
During the 1960’s, the four story annex that served as police headquarters had deteriorated so badly that it had to be demolished (a new police headquarters building was constructed across the street). By 1974, Tampa’s City Hall had been listed on the National Register of Historic places. The structure underwent $16 million renovation in 2017.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Tampa’s City Hall is definitely worth a visit.

It even sports its own postcard.

One of the unique features of the exterior is a series of ornamental head decorations modeled on Seminole Native American Women.

Dr. Oppenheimer with his daughters C. Hortense, Irma, Olive, Dorothy, and Carmen (1919). Hortense was instrumental in raising funds to add a clock tower to Tampa’s City Hall.

Her efforts resulted in a beautiful addition to the building.

This annex to City Hall originally served as police headquarters until the 1960’s , when it had to be demolished because of deterioration.

When we toured Tampa’s City Hall, the nice folks in the City Clerk’s office recorded our visit...

...and Karencia offered to serve as our guide.

This lounge near the City Council chambers also hosted small group meetings.

The elevator controls referenced a bygone era.

We got to see the City Council Chambers up close and personal...

...and even held our own meeting (nothing substantive was passed).

During our visit, we were fortunate to meet Mayor Jane Castor just as she was ready to take her dog for a walk.

Well, our travel plans have now directed us back into the United States for awhile in order to visit family and see our doctors. As a result, we decided to spend some time exploring parts of the South we had not experienced previously.
​ Situated on the west coast of Florida, Tampa is the third largest city in the state (after Miami and Jacksonville) and Tampa’s port is the largest in Florida.
The shores of Tampa Bay have been inhabited for thousands of years. The Weeden Island culture ( a Native American culture defined by their use of ceramics) had existed in this area about two thousand years ago. At the time of the arrival of the Europeans in the early 16th century, the Tocoboga Native American group dominated the area - its principal town was located at the northern end of Tampa Bay. Scholars believe that Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto may have visited this area as early as 1539. The earliest documented mention of “Tampa” was as “Tanpa”” around 1595. A Spanish shipwreck survivor by the name of Hernando de Escalante Fortanda, spent 17 years as a captive of the Calusa, a southwest coastal Native American tribe. He wrote about his travels throughout much of the Floridian penninsula with the Calusa. At that time, the Spanish had called this area “The Bay of the Holy Spirit.”
Unfortunately, the indigenous cultures of the region began to colapse by 1600 because of the infectious diseases they were exposed to from the Europeans. This left the west coast of Spanish Florida largely depopulated for the next two hundred years.
By the end of the 1600’s, the Spanish had named the area “Tampa Bay”, perhaps the name having been derived from the Calusa language , in which the port was called “itimpi”, meaning “ ...close to or nearby.”
In the mid-18th century, the events surrounding the development of the American Colonies began to drive the Southern Florida Seminole peoples into Northern Florida. By the end of the century, these were mixed with immigrants from Cuba, Italy, and Spain as they flooded into the area and founded West Tampa and Ybor City ( now the historic district of Tampa).
After the U.S. purchased Florida from Spain in 1821, the government began to build forts and trading posts throughout this new territory. One such complex was Fort Brooke, established in January of 1824 at the mouth of the Hillsborough River in Tampa Bay. By mid-century, the pioneer community surrounding the fort became known as “Tampa Town” (later shortened to just “Tampa”). Today, Tampa is a fast growing community and a popular tourist destination

Looking across the Hillsborough River towards the Tampa skyline.

The main drags through the downtown area can accommodate a lot of traffic.

Tampa’s Union Station is one of its big tourist attractions.

Railroad tycoon Henry B. Plant built this Tampa Hotel. This Moorish and Turkish style architecture served as headquarters for Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders prior to their warring expedition to Cuba.

One of the great city features is this free trolley service to the historic Ybor City district.

These trolleys are attractions in themselves.

Ybor city was founded over 135 years ago by Cuban, Spanish, and Italian immigrants...

... and has been known for its ties to the manufacturing of cigars.

While we were exploring Tampa’s Old City Hall, we got to meet Jane Castor, former police chief and current mayor of the city.