FL-1017 The Coming of the Italians

Marker text: THE COMING OF THE ITALIANS

With the advent of the cigar industry in 1886, the Italians were attracted in mass to the environs of Ybor City. They found employment in cigar factories, the building of the Tampa Bay Hotel, the construction of railroads, and farming.

The Italians settled in the eastern area of Ybor City, then called "La Pachata" in honor of a Cuban rent collector and the first settler in the area.

Their descendants have achieved high political positions and notable success in the fields of finance, commerce, and various professions. Their contributions to the growth and cultural life of the Tampa Community have been substantial.

Erected To The Memory Of Don Giovanni A. Grimaldi.