FL-1018 Historic Emilio Pons Cigar Factory

Marker text: HISTORIC EMILIO PONS CIGAR FACTORY

Emilio Pons, a pioneer Tampa cigar manufacturer, and an outstanding public servant, established the first cigar factory of local origin on this site in 1887.
Here on October 12, 1894, Jose Marti, the Cuban liberator, delivered his last Ybor City revolutionary speech from the readers' pulpit amidst the wild acclaim of the Cuban cigar-makers. The final words of his prophetic speech were: "We shall triumph! Their hammer blows will be met by a destructive file of steel."

Erected by The Tampa Historical Society.