>>THIS PROGRAM IS BROUGHT TO YOU IN PART BY THE PAUL B HUNTER AND CONSTANCE D HUNTER CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, A PROUD PARTNER OF WUCF AND THE CENTRAL FLORIDA COMMUNITY.

>>ON THIS EDITION OF FLORIDA ROAD TRIP, WE MAKE A STOP ON THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA IN A CITY THAT IS KNOWN FOR YBOR CITY, FLORIDA'S OLDEST RESTAURANT, AND ALSO WHERE BILLY GRAHAM BEGAN HIS MINISTRY.

JOIN US AS WE UNCOVER THE HISTORY AND THE INTERESTING STORIES ABOUT THE CITY OF TAMPA.

FLORIDA ROAD TRIP IS ON THE ROAD.

[MUSIC] HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF FLORIDA ROAD TRIP.

I'M BUDDY PITTMAN.

THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

THE SETTLEMENT OF WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED TAMPA TOWN WAS THE OUTGROWTH OF AN ARMY FORT CALLED FORT BROOKE.

>>FORT BROOKE WAS ESTABLISHED IN JANUARY OF 1824, THE NORTHERN END OF HILLSBOROUGH BAY ON THE EAST SIDE, AND THE HILLSBOROUGH RIVER, BASICALLY WHERE THE SOUTHERN END OF DOWNTOWN TAMPA IS TODAY.

FLORIDA BECAME A TERRITORY IN 1821 AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WANTED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DEAL WITH THE SEMINOLE INDIANS WHO HAD LIVED IN FLORIDA FOR ABOUT 100 YEARS UP TO THAT POINT.

AND FORT BROOKE WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE US MILITARY OPERATIONS IN FLORIDA DURING THE TERRITORIAL PERIOD.

BEGINNING IN THE EARLY 1830S, THERE WAS A LITTLE VILLAGE THAT BEGAN TO GROW IN THE NORTHERN END OF FORT BROOKE, AND THAT VILLAGE WAS CALLED TAMPA AND THAT IS THE BEGINNINGS OF THE TAMPA WE HAVE TODAY.

THE NAME SHOWS UP ON A LIST OF NATIVE VILLAGES THAT WAS CREATED BY A SPANISH SHIPWRECK SURVIVOR IN THE MID 1500S.

IT LIKELY WAS PRONOUNCED "TANPA" T-A-N-P-A BY THE NATIVE PEOPLE.

BUT IT'S JUST EASIER IN EUROPEAN LANGUAGES, SPANISH, OTHERS TO SAY "M" INSTEAD OF "N." THERE IS A STORY THAT IT MEANS STICKS OF FIRE, WHICH COULD EITHER MEAN LIGHTNING, BUT ALSO COULD MEAN A PLACE FOR GATHERING FIREWOOD, THOSE CAN BE THE STICKS OF FIRE.

THE HONEST ANSWER IS WE JUST DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T THINK IT REALLY MEANS STICKS OF FIRE, BUT THAT'S WHAT HAS COME TO BE KNOWN AS.

FOLLOWING THE US CIVIL WAR, THE WHOLE SOUTH WAS DEVASTATED AND TAMPA WAS NO EXCEPTION.

SO BY 1880 THERE WERE ONLY 720 PEOPLE THAT WERE COUNTED IN THE US CENSUS IN THE CITY OF TAMPA.

>>IN 1884, THE AREA RECEIVED A HUGE ECONOMIC BOOM WHEN HENRY PLANT DECIDED TO BRING HIS RAILROAD TO TAMPA.

>>PRIOR TO THE RAILROAD ARRIVING IN TAMPA, THIS WAS REALLY JUST A SMALL FISHING VILLAGE.

THERE WERE MAYBE 700 PEOPLE VERY, VERY SMALL.

HENRY PLANT BUILDS THE RAILROAD INTO TOWN AND ALMOST OVERNIGHT THE POPULATION JUST EXPLODES.

WE WENT FROM THAT 700 PEOPLE TO ABOUT 15,000 PEOPLE IN A SPAN OF MAYBE TEN YEARS.

IT REALLY WAS PRETTY DRAMATIC GROWTH IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

PLANT ALSO PUT TAMPA ON THE MAP AS A TOURIST DESTINATION BY BUILDING THE TAMPA BAY HOTEL.

HENRY PLANT WANTED TO BUILD SOMETHING FANTASTIC.

A PLAYGROUND FOR WEALTHY AND FAMOUS GUESTS TO COME AND STAY.

THIS BUILDING, THE TAMPA BAY HOTEL, WAS THE CROWN JEWEL OF THE PLANT SYSTEM.

THE BUILDING IS A QUARTER OF A MILE LONG.

IT HAD 511 HOTEL ROOMS.

REALLY THIS WAS THE COMMUNITY CENTER FOR THE CITY OF TAMPA.

THERE WAS A RACETRACK, A GOLF COURSE, BASEBALL DIAMOND, A CASINO, WHICH IS AN OLD FASHIONED WORD FOR A PERFORMING ARTS CENTER THAT COULD SEAT 2000 PEOPLE FOR PERFORMANCES OF THE BIGGEST STARS OF THE DAY.

THIS BUILDING WAS A TECHNOLOGICAL MARVEL, TELEPHONES IN EVERY ROOM, ELECTRICITY THROUGHOUT.

THERE WAS EVEN ONE OF THE FIRST ELEVATORS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA RIGHT HERE IN THIS BUILDING.

WHAT I ALWAYS SAY IS WITHOUT HENRY PLANT, TAMPA DOESN'T EXIST AS WE KNOW IT TODAY.

AND I MEAN THAT QUITE LITERALLY.

HENRY PLANT TOOK A SLEEPY FISHING VILLAGE AND TURNED IT INTO A METROPOLIS THAT WE ALL ENJOY TODAY.

>>ANOTHER IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE GROWTH OF TAMPA HAPPENED WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE CIGAR INDUSTRY AND WHAT WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME KNOWN AS YBOR CITY.

>>WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RAILROAD AND A PORT HERE, TAMPA BECAME SORT OF THE CIGAR CAPITAL OF THE AREA.

CIGAR MANUFACTURERS MOVED THEIR FACTORIES FROM THE KEYS UP TO TAMPA BECAUSE THERE WAS A DEEP WATER PORT, AND THEN RAILROADS, SO THE CIGARS COULD BE TRANSPORTED ACROSS THE COUNTRY MUCH MORE EASILY.

>>THE MAJOR PUSH BEHIND THAT WAS FROM A MAN NAMED VICENTE MARTINEZ-YBOR AND WHERE WE GET THE NAME YBOR CITY.

MR. YBOR HAD LOTS OF FRIENDS IN THE CIGAR INDUSTRY.

ONE OF THEM WAS A MAN NAMED IGNACIO HAYA.

SO HAYA AND YBOR BOTH THOUGHT ABOUT MOVING THEIR CIGAR FACTORIES OUT OF HAVANA AND OUT OF KEY WEST, BUT THEY NEEDED TO BE SOMEPLACE HUMID AND SOMEPLACE CLOSE TO CUBA, WHICH IS WHERE ALL THE TOBACCO CAME FROM AND A LOT OF THE LABOR CAME FROM.

>>THIS IS THE ROOTS OF TAMPA'S DIVERSITY.

THIS IS THE ROOTS OF TAMPA'S BUSINESS.

BECAUSE AT ONE TIME THE CIGAR INDUSTRY WAS BRINGING MORE THAN HALF THE REVENUES OF TAMPA AND BETWEEN THE WEST TAMPA FACTORIES AND THE YBOR CITY FACTORIES, WHICH TOTALED ABOUT 200, TAMPA, AT ITS HEIGHT, WHICH IS AROUND THE LATE 1920S, WAS MAKING 500 MILLION CIGARS A YEAR, 500 MILLION CIGARS.

IT WAS PEOPLE LIKE VICENTE MARTINEZ-YBOR WHO BY THE WAY HE WAS 67 AND THINK ABOUT AN 1885, A 67 YEAR OLD MAN COMING AND BUILDING AN ENTIRE INDUSTRY, AN ENTIRE TOWN THAT'S PRETTY SPECTACULAR FOR THAT TIME.

>>AND AT SOME POINT DURING THAT TIME IT WAS VERY LIKELY THAT SPANISH WAS ACTUALLY THE MAJORITY LANGUAGE THAT WAS SPOKEN BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY CUBANS WHO CAME HERE FOR THE CIGAR INDUSTRY BECAUSE WE HAD SO MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES FROM CUBAN, SPANISH, AFRO-CUBAN AND THE SICILIAN AS WELL AS THE ANGLO AND NATIVE BORN AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION.

IT REALLY WAS A TRUE MULTICULTURAL MIX.

>>IT WAS A MELTING POT.

THIS VERY AREA THAT WE'RE IN NOW.

THIS IS WHERE COMMERCE AND CULTURE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALL MET TO CREATE WHAT IS NOW TAMPA.

>>VISITORS TO TAMPA, SURPRISINGLY, CAN VISIT CUBA WITHOUT A PASSPORT.

JOSE MARTI PARK IS A PLOT OF LAND THAT IS ACTUALLY OWNED BY THE PEOPLE OF CUBA.

>>DURING CUBA'S 1895 REVOLUTION, THERE IS A MAN NAMED JOSE MARTI WHO IS REALLY THEIR, GEORGE WASHINGTON AND ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

AND THEIR THOMAS JEFFERSON ALL ROLLED INTO ONE PERSON.

HE REALLY EMBODIED THE CUBAN REVOLUTION OF 1895.

THE COUNTRY OF CUBA UNDER BATISTA ACTUALLY PURCHASED THAT PROPERTY AND IT'S GOING TO BE TURNED INTO A MUSEUM.

WELL UNFORTUNATELY FIDEL CASTRO TOOK OVER CUBA, AND SO THE PLANS FOR ANY MUSEUM WOULD HAVE BEEN SQUASHED.

BUT THE PROPERTY NEVER CHANGED HANDS.

SO THE COUNTRY OF CUBA STILL OWNS THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.

>>FOR NEARLY SIX DECADES, IT WAS THE ONLY PIECE OF CUBAN OWNED LAND IN THE UNITED STATES UNTIL THE CUBAN EMBASSY WAS OPENED IN WASHINGTON D.C.

IN 2015.

ONE OF THE LONGSTANDING TRADITIONS IN YBOR CITY IS THE COLUMBIA RESTAURANT, FLORIDA'S OLDEST RESTAURANT THAT HAS BEEN OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE SAME FAMILY SINCE IT OPENED BACK IN 1905.

>>WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE COLUMBIA RESTAURANT IS A FAMILY OWNED RESTAURANT.

MY GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER CAME TO YBOR CITY AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, LIKE SO MANY OTHER IMMIGRANTS CAME FROM SPAIN AND CUBA AND ITALY AND GERMANY AND SO MANY OTHER PLACES PURSUING A DREAM.

THE COLUMBIA RESTAURANT STARTED OFF AS A SMALL CORNER CAFE.

MY GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER WANTED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A CAFE CON LECHE, A CUBAN TOAST, THIS FAMILIAR TASTE OF HOME THAT THEY GOT FROM CUBA.

>>THE RESTAURANT CONTINUED TO GROW IN SIZE AND STATURE AND EVENTUALLY THEY BUILT THE VERY FIRST AIR CONDITIONED DINING ROOM IN TAMPA.

>>I SAY ALL THE MEN IN MY FAMILY VERY MUCH IDENTIFIED WITH BEING DON QUIXOTE BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL DREAMERS.

AND I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE A DREAMER TO BE ABLE TO BUILD A RESTAURANT FROM A CORNER CAFE INTO A WHOLE CITY BLOCK.

WE ARE VERY PROUD TO BE THE OLDEST RESTAURANT IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

WE'RE THE LARGEST SPANISH RESTAURANT, I BELIEVE, IN THE WORLD.

WE ENCOMPASS A WHOLE CITY BLOCK, WE'RE 1700 SEATS.

AND TODAY IT IS THE FOURTH AND FIFTH GENERATION THAT ARE OPERATING THE RESTAURANT AND GUIDING IT AND HOPING TO SEE IT MOVE ON TO THE SIXTH GENERATION.

ONE OF THE NEATEST THINGS I THINK ABOUT THIS COLUMBIA RESTAURANT HERE IN YBOR CITY IS EACH DINING ROOM HAS A DIFFERENT FEEL TO IT.

IT ALMOST IS LIKE AS YOU STEP INTO A DIFFERENT DINING ROOM, YOU'RE ON A DIFFERENT RESTAURANT THERE IS THAT COHESIVENESS AMONG ALL THE DINING ROOMS.

SO, SO MANY OF THE DINING ROOMS, YOU'LL SEE THE SPANISH, THE HAND-PAINTED SPANISH TILES THAT LINE THE WALL.

IT ALMOST TAKES YOU BACK TO A MORE GLAMOROUS TIME.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY GREATEST MEMORIES AS A CHILD WAS COMING TO THE RESTAURANT WITH MY GRANDMOTHER ON SATURDAY EVENINGS.

MY GRANDFATHER PLAYED THE VIOLIN SIX NIGHTS A WEEK HERE.

HE LOVED IT.

HE WAS VERY MUCH A SHOWMAN.

MY GRANDMOTHER WAS A CONCERT PIANIST AND SHE ENJOYED IT AS WELL.

WE WOULD COME TO WATCH THE FLAMENCO DANCERS, BUT BACK THEN, PEOPLE TOOK PRIDE IN GETTING DRESSED UP.

YOU KNOW, SATURDAY NIGHT WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL.

YOU WEAR YOUR STOCKINGS, YOU WEAR YOUR CLOSE-TOED SHOES.

YOU KNOW, WE PUT OUR BOWS IN OUR HAIR AND WEAR ALL OF OUR BEST JEWELRY.

AND WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH MANY OF THESE DINING ROOMS, IT TRANSPORTS YOU BACK TO THAT GLAMOROUS ERA.

THE COLUMBIA RESTAURANT.

IT IS A RESTAURANT, AND IT IS A BUSINESS.

BUT MY GRANDMOTHER ALWAYS SAID IT WAS A LOVE.

IT'S IS SOMETHING THAT WAS PUT IN OUR VEINS THE MOMENT WE WERE BORN AND BEING RAISED IN IT.

IT'S A FAMILY THE EMPLOYEES WHO WORK HERE AREN'T MY EMPLOYEES.

THEY'RE MY FAMILY.

IT'S LOVE AND IT'S FAMILY.

AND WE JUST HAPPENED TO HAVE A RESTAURANT IN COMMON.

>>TAMPA TOURIST ATTRACTION, BUSCH GARDENS HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1959.

BUT ACTUALLY BEFORE THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER TOURIST ATTRACTION THAT HAD ITS OWN FAIRY TALE STORY.

>>FAIRYLAND ORIGINATED AT THE OLD LOWRY PARK ZOO, WHICH IS NOW KNOWN AS ZOO TAMPA TODAY.

AND THERE WERE ALL THESE AMAZING FIGURINES THAT TOLD ALL THESE FAIRY TALE STORIES THAT I GREW UP KNOWING, BUT SHAMEFULLY, PROBABLY A LOT OF CHILDREN DON'T KNOW TODAY.

IT WAS MAGICAL.

IT WAS VERY MAGICAL AND IT WAS SAD WHEN THEY TOOK THEM AWAY.

OBVIOUSLY IT WAS FOR THE BETTER OF, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP THE ZOO AND MAKE THE ZOO A BETTER ZOO FOR OUR CITY.

BUT IT WAS A SMALL PIECE OF MY CHILDHOOD THAT I REMEMBERED, AND THAT WAS LOST.

>>BUT NOT LOST FOREVER.

ANDREA'S FATHER BOUGHT THE RUSTED REMAINS OF THE FIGURINES AT AUCTION AND SET OUT TO RESTORE A PIECE OF TAMPA'S HISTORY.

>>HE FOUGHT FOR EVERY SINGLE PIECE HE WANTED.

HE SPENT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS COLLECTING THESE ITEMS SO HE COULD RECREATE THEM FOR THE GENERATIONS TODAY.

THIS WAS A LABOR OF LOVE, WITHOUT A DOUBT.

A LABOR OF LOVE AND THE FACT THAT MY FATHER DECIDED TO BUY THEM AND FOUND AN ARTIST AND WAS WILLING TO PAY SOMEONE TO HELP MAKING IT COME BACK TO LIFE.

>>THE REFURBISHED FAIRY TALE STORIES NOW HAVE A NEW HOME AT ONE OF THE GONZMART FAMILY RESTAURANTS, ULELE.

>> IT WAS IMPORTANT TO MY FATHER TO BE ABLE TO PUT IT SOMEWHERE THAT PEOPLE CAN COME, WHETHER THEY ARE DINING WITH US OR NOT, TO COME ENJOY THESE FIGURINES.

WE'VE GOT THE THREE LITTLE PIGS AND THE WOLF, AND WE HAVE ONE OF THE HOUSES THERE WERE THREE HOUSES.

ONE OF THE HOUSES WAS UNREPAIRABLE.

WE'VE GOT CINDERELLA, THE MICE, WE'VE GOT JACK AND THE BEANSTALK, WHICH IS PROBABLY ONE OF MY FAVORITES.

YOU SEE HIM STARING UP AT THE BEANSTALK WITH HIS AX BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO CUT IT DOWN BEFORE THE GIANT COMES DOWN.

I MEAN, THESE ARE MEMORIES FROM MY CHILDHOOD, THESE STORIES THAT SO MANY CHILDREN DON'T KNOW.

AND WE'VE GOT LITTLE BOY BLUE BEHIND US.

BUT MY MOST FAVORITE IS HUMPTY DUMPTY.

HUMPTY DUMPTY VERY UNEXPECTEDLY SITS ON TOP OF ULUELE, AND HOPEFULLY HE'LL BE SITTING UP THERE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

BUT MY FATHER HAS IMPLEMENTED TO ME I MEAN, HE'S SHOWN IT THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO BRING BACK THE HISTORY OF TAMPA, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THESE FIGURINES AND THROUGH BRINGING LIFE BACK TO THIS WATERWORKS BUILDING HERE THAT ULELE'S IN.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT MY GENERATION, HIS GENERATION RESTORES IT BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT'S GOING TO BE FORGOTTEN FOR THE NEXT GENERATIONS.

>>THE REVEREND BILLY GRAHAM WAS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS PREACHERS IN THE WORLD, BUT FEW ARE AWARE OF THE FACT AS THIS PLAQUE BEHIND ME SIGNIFIES THAT THE REVEREND GRAHAM BEGAN HIS MINISTRY RIGHT HERE IN TAMPA ON FRANKLIN STREET.

AS THE PLAQUE MEMORIALIZES, THE REVEREND GRAHAM BEGAN HIS EVANGELISTIC CRUSADE EXHORTING DERELICTS, DRUNKS AND SKID ROW BUMS RIGHT HERE AT THE CORNER OF FRANKLIN AND FORTUNE STREETS.

>>I ACCEPTED JESUS CHRIST AS MY SAVIOR IN 1934.

AND THEN IN 1937, I WENT TO FLORIDA TO ATTEND A SMALL BIBLE SCHOOL CALLED THE FLORIDA BIBLE INSTITUTE.

IT'S NOW TRINITY COLLEGE.

AND WHILE I WAS THERE, I ANSWERED THE CALL TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

>>AS GRAHAM DESCRIBES IT, HE WOULD ROW OUT INTO THE NEARBY LAKES AND STREAMS AND PREACH TO THE BIRDS AND ALLIGATORS TO PRACTICE HIS SERMONS.

>>I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT NIGHT ON THE 18TH GREEN AT THE TEMPLE TERRACE GOLF COURSE WHERE I WAS TAKING A WALK AND THE CALL OF GOD CAME SO UNMISTAKABLY, AND I ANSWERED THE CALL AND I STARTED PREACHING.

>>BILLY GRAHAM ACTUALLY KNELT DOWN ON THE 18TH HOLE AND HE PRAYED AND RECEIVED HIS CALLING OF "GOD, WHEREVER YOU WANT TO SEND ME, I'LL GO."

AND REACHED MORE PEOPLE WITH THE GOSPEL ON THE PLANET THAN ANYBODY EVER BEFORE.

PROBABLY EVER WILL.

>>EVEN THE VALEDICTORIAN SPEECH AT THE GRADUATION IN 1940 SEEMED TO FORESHADOW GRAHAM'S PATH.

>>THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE SPEECH IS THAT THE WORLD IS READY FOR ANOTHER GREAT EVANGELIST TO COME ALONG LIKE A DL MOODY AND SO HERE'S GRAHAM IN THE AUDIENCE OF THAT VALEDICTORIAN SPEECH A VERY SMALL CLASS OF PEOPLE AND HE IS THAT GUY.

IT TALKS ABOUT HOW ALL THE TROUBLES GOING ON IN THE WORLD AND EVERYTHING, IF YOU READ THAT FOR TODAY YOU WOULD THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW AND THE CONNECTION IS UNDENIABLE.

MANY PEOPLE HAVE THAT SAME CONNECTION WITH BILLY GRAHAM THAT HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON THAT REALLY INTRODUCED HIM THAT GOD LOVES ME NO MATTER WHAT AND KEPT THE GOSPEL SIMPLE.

THE GOSPEL WAS FOR EVERYONE.

AND THAT REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.

>>THE CITY OF TAMPA HAS A LONG STANDING CONNECTION TO BASEBALL, DATING ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE LATE 1800S.

AND IT'S ALL HONORED AT THE TAMPA BASEBALL MUSEUM.

>>ESSENTIALLY IT IS THE CIGAR INDUSTRY THAT BROUGHT BASEBALL TO TAMPA BECAUSE IN 1887, THE CUBANS WHO CAME HERE TO MAKE CIGARS LOVED BASEBALL AND THEY BROUGHT THE GAME WITH THEM.

BASEBALL WAS A HOT ITEM ON SUNDAYS THAT'S HOW THEY RECREATED.

SO FROM THAT ULTIMATELY WE DID END UP CREATING A SPRING TRAINING TRADITION.

MINOR LEAGUE TEAMS THE FIRST ONE BEING, OF COURSE THE TAMPA SMOKERS.

WHAT A SURPRISE THEY WERE NAMED FOR THE INDUSTRY THAT STARTED THIS TREND.

SO OUR FIRST GAME HERE IN TAMPA WAS PLAYED IN 1913 FOR A SPRING TRAINING GAME AND IT WAS PLAYED AT PLANT FIELD.

AND OF COURSE YOU HAD SO MANY DIFFERENT MAJOR LEAGUE TEAMS.

I BELIEVE THERE WERE SEVEN OF THEM, THAT SPRING TRAINED IN PLANT FIELD.

AND SO THAT WAS THE FIRST PROFESSIONAL FORAY, SO TO SPEAK, INTO TAMPA'S BASEBALL HISTORY.

>>ONE OF TAMPA BASEBALL'S FAVORITE SONS WAS HALL OF FAMER AL LOPEZ.

>>AL LOPEZ WAS BORN IN YBOR CITY.

HIS PARENTS WERE SPANISH IMMIGRANTS.

AL ULTIMATELY BECAME TAMPA'S FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE PLAYER, MANAGER, AND HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE.

SO HE IS QUITE LEGENDARY IN BOTH HIS PLAYING CAREER AND IN HIS MANAGING CAREER.

WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO HIM, BESIDES THE FACT OF HIS STELLAR CAREER, IS THAT HE LIVED IN THIS HOUSE WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

HE MADE TAMPA HIS HOME BASE, SO THIS IS WHERE HIS FAMILY GREW UP.

HE WAS THE FIRST OF 90 PLAYERS TO MAKE IT TO THE MAJOR LEAGUES FROM TAMPA.

>>FROM THE SMOKERS TO NOW THE TAMPA BAY RAYS.

BASEBALL HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF TAMPA'S HISTORY.

>>PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN ALWAYS LOVED BASEBALL.

NOW, OF COURSE, OF THE RAYS, BECAUSE WHEN THE RAYS ARRIVED IN THE MID-1990S, THAT GAVE US A WHOLE NEW DIMENSION THAT IS NOW A BIG PART OF THE LEGACY OF TAMPA BAY.

>>BABE RUTH HIT A LOT OF HOME RUNS DURING HIS CAREER.

HE HIT ONE INTO A POND FULL OF ALLIGATORS IN ARKANSAS, HE HIT ONE COMPLETELY OUT OF A PRISON YARD IN UPSTATE NEW YORK.

BUT THE HOME RUN THAT SITS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST IS THE ONE WHEN BABE RUTH HIT HIS LONGEST HOME RUN IN BASEBALL HISTORY.

AND IT HAPPENED RIGHT HERE IN TAMPA.

PLANT FIELD WAS BUILT IN 1899 AND WAS PART OF HENRY PLANT'S TAMPA BAY HOTEL.

THE BOSTON RED SOX WERE ONE OF THE MANY TEAMS THAT USED PLANT FIELD FOR SPRING TRAINING.

>>IF YOU WANDER AROUND THE GROUNDS OUTSIDE THE MUSEUM, YOU'LL COME ACROSS A HISTORICAL MARKER ON APRIL 4TH, 1919, BABE RUTH HIT WHAT WAS THEN REPORTED TO BE THE LONGEST HOME RUN OF HIS CAREER.

HE WAS A VERY YOUNG PLAYER AT THAT TIME.

HE WAS ACTUALLY STILL WITH THE RED SOX.

HE HADN'T BEEN TRADED TO THE YANKEES YET.

AND HOME RUNS WERE A NOVELTY IN BASEBALL.

YOU DIDN'T SEE THEM EVERY GAME.

THIS ONE WAS REPORTED TO TRAVEL SOMETHING LIKE 587 FEET, JUST AN INCREDIBLE DISTANCE.

AND HERE AT THE PLANT MUSEUM WE HAVE THAT BALL THAT WAS HIT THAT MONSTER HOME RUN YOU CAN COME AND SEE IT.

>>JUST IMAGINE BABE'S SHOT ESTIMATED AT 587 FEET.

THAT'S ALMOST TWO FOOTBALL FIELDS IN LENGTH.

AND THE BABE LAUNCHED IT AT PLANT FIELD IN TAMPA.

TAMPA IS NOT ONLY HOME TO BASEBALL'S LONGEST HOME RUN, BUT ALSO HOME TO THE WORLD'S LONGEST CONTINUAL SIDEWALK.

IF YOU'RE GOING FOR A WALK, A JOG, OR A BIKE RIDE, TAMPA HAS THE PERFECT PLACE TO GET IN THOSE STEPS RIGHT ON BAYSHORE BOULEVARD.

THIS PATH IS LINED WITH PALM TREES AND HAS NEVER ENDING VIEWS OF THE BAY.

BUT THIS FOUR AND A HALF MILE STRETCH ALONG BAYSHORE BOULEVARD IS IN FACT THE WORLD'S LONGEST CONTINUAL SIDEWALK.

IF YOU ARE A WEATHER BUFF, THEN YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE THAT THE TAMPA AREA IS CONSIDERED THE LIGHTNING CAPITAL OF NORTH AMERICA.

ACTUALLY, ALL OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, FROM TAMPA TO TITUSVILLE IS CONSIDERED LIGHTNING ALLEY.

BUT TAMPA LEADS THE WAY.

THIS CORRIDOR AVERAGES MORE THAN 50 LIGHTNING STRIKES PER SQUARE MILE THAT'S MORE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY.

TAMPA BAY'S NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE TEAM GOT THEIR NICKNAME, THE LIGHTNING, WHEN CO-FOUNDER PHIL ESPOSITO EXPERIENCED ONE OF TAMPA'S HUGE LIGHTNING STORMS, AND HE IMMEDIATELY KNEW THAT LIGHTNING WAS THE PERFECT NAME FOR HIS NEW TEAM.

WE ALL KNOW HOW HOT IT CAN GET IN FLORIDA, BUT INTERESTINGLY, THE TEMPERATURE IN TAMPA HAS NEVER REGISTERED OVER 100 DEGREES.

DESPITE THE AREA'S WIDELY RECOGNIZED HEAT AND HUMIDITY AND SEEMINGLY ENDLESS DAYS OF OPPRESSIVE HEAT, THE TEMPERATURE HAS ACTUALLY NEVER REACHED 100 DEGREES.

THE RECORD IS ACTUALLY 99 DEGREES.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE RECORD HIGH IN NEARBY ST. PETE BEACH REACHED 102 DEGREES BACK IN 1997.

ALSO GETTING ITS START ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO WAS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SPOTS TO VISIT IN THE TAMPA AREA, THE FLORIDA AQUARIUM.

AND IT HAS A LOT MORE TO OFFER THAN YOU MIGHT THINK.

>>THE FLORIDA AQUARIUM OPENED MARCH 31ST 1995 SO THAT'S PUSHING 30 YEARS NOW THAT THE FLORIDA AQUARIUM HAS BEEN HERE IN DOWNTOWN TAMPA.

WE'RE SITTING IN FRONT OF OUR HALF MILLION GALLON CORAL REEF HABITAT FEATURING HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT FISH.

THERE'S EELS, THERE'S SAND TIGER SHARKS.

THERE IS THE BIG AMBERJACK CRUISING RIGHT BY AND BARRACUDA.

AND A LOT OF THOSE ANIMALS HAVE GROWN UP IN THIS HABITAT AND AS WELL YOU'LL SEE OUR RESCUE SEA TURTLE FLIP.

SHE'S A GREEN TURTLE.

SHE CAN HOLD HER BREATH FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, BUT SHE'S STILL GOTTA CRUISE TO THE SURFACE AND GET A GULP OF AIR AND THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO SEE THIS RESCUE ADULT GREEN SEA TURTLE.

SHARKS ALWAYS INSPIRE A RESPONSE IN EVERY GUEST THAT COMES TO THE AQUARIUM.

NOW, WHAT WE LIKE TO DO AT THE FLORIDA AQUARIUM IS TAKE WHAT MIGHT BE A FEAR OF SOMETHING THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND, LIKE SHARKS, AND BRING THAT RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER TO FASCINATION.

SHARKS REALLY ARE BEAUTIFUL.

AND THEY'RE MYRIAD AND VARIED IN THEIR SIZE.

QUITE A SET OF TEETH THERE.

THEY MAKE AN INCREDIBLE IMPRESSION.

BUT THE BEST THING I THINK FOR US IS TO SHOW PEOPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD DIVERS IN THE WATER WITH OUR SHARKS EARLIER.

WHEN A GUEST COMES INTO THE AQUARIUM AND SEES THE SHARKS SHARING THEIR SPACE WITH THE DIVERS AND ALL THE OTHER FISH, IT CAN REALLY CHANGE HEARTS AND MINDS ABOUT HOW WE FEEL ABOUT SHARKS.

AND THEN WE GET TO TELL THE STORY ABOUT JUST HOW IMPORTANT THESE ANIMALS ARE IN OUR WILD HABITATS AND ALSO THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY FACE FROM US.

THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS THROUGHOUT THE FLORIDA AQUARIUM.

OVER 10,000 IF YOU WERE TO COUNT.

ALL OF THE FISH, ALL OF THE JELLIES, THE BIRDS, WELL, OVER 100 BIRDS IN ANOTHER SIGNATURE HABITAT, THE WETLANDS DOME, YOU CAN SEE IT FROM THE STREET IT LOOKS LIKE A BIG GLASS WAVE.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE INSIDE, YOU'LL SEE ONE OF THE MANGROVE FOREST THAT RIVALS WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE IN COASTAL FLORIDA.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY ENORMOUS.

IF YOU GO UP TO THE SECOND DECK, YOU GET A TASTE OF MADAGASCAR AND YOU'LL SEE OUR RING-TAILED LEMURS, CHAMELEONS AND OTHER ANIMALS AND WILDLIFE YOU'D FIND IN THE COASTAL ISLAND OFF THE SOUTH AFRICA CALLED MADAGASCAR.

OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW IT FROM THE MOVIE.

YOU'LL SEE ANIMALS, VARIOUS TYPES OF SEAHORSES, FROG, FISH, LUNGFISH.

YOU GET A GOOD VARIETY OF ANIMALS DOWN IN THE WAVES OF WONDER, ONE OF MY FAVORITES IS THE GIANT PACIFIC OCTOPUS.

IT'S RIGHT THERE IN THE NAME.

THIS IS THE LARGEST OCTOPUS SPECIES.

YOU MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN OUTSIDE TO SEE OUR PENGUINS AND THEIR HABITAT OUTSIDE BY THE SPLASH ZONE, BUT WHAT YOU DON'T SEE IS A LOT OF THE BEHIND THE SCENES WORK THAT WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING HERE AT THE FLORIDA AQUARIUM.

CORAL REEFS ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT IN THERE, WELL, THEY'RE CHALLENGED BY A LOT OF CHANGES TO THE CLIMATE SO WE'RE HELPING GIVE BACK TO THOSE CORAL REEF ENVIRONMENTS AT OUR CENTER FOR CONSERVATION.

THAT'S OUR OFF-SITE RESEARCH FACILITY, FLORIDA CORAL SPECIES THAT ARE BEING PROPAGATED AND SPAWNED IN OUR LABORATORY ENVIRONMENT.

AND BECAUSE WE'RE BEING SO SUCCESSFUL SPAWNING THEM, WE NEED TO FIND A HOME FOR ALL OF THESE BABY CORALS AND I AM TALKING THOUSANDS.

AND THAT COULD NOT MAKE ME MORE PROUD TO BE A PART OF THIS FLORIDA AQUARIUM TEAM FOR DOZENS OF YEARS.

AND JUST SEEING THAT WE'RE TRULY GIVING SOMETHING BACK TO THE ENVIRONMENT, HELPING CELEBRATE FLORIDA'S WILDLIFE.

>>ALSO ON THE TAMPA MUST SEE LIST IS THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY OR THE MOSI MUSEUM.

>>MOSI THIS YEAR IS CELEBRATING ITS 60TH ANNIVERSARY.

SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE A CENTER FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION, LEARNING, YOU KNOW, THE LATEST IN TECHNOLOGY AND EXPLORATION, ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, WE'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.

SO THE WAY WE PRESENT THE INFORMATION HAS EVOLVED.

AND MOSI HAS MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AND INNOVATE IN NOT JUST THE SUBJECT MATTER WE'RE PRESENTING, BUT HOW WE PRESENT THAT SUBJECT MATTER SO THAT IT'S ALWAYS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE AND IT'S ALWAYS ENGAGING.

THE OLD TIME MUSEUMS, YOU DIDN'T TOUCH ANYTHING THEN CHILDREN'S MUSEUMS CAME ALONG AND "YEAH, WE WANT YOU TO TOUCH."

BUT THEN WHEN SCIENCE CENTERS STARTED TO DEVELOP, THEY REALLY PUT THE BEST OF THOSE TWO WORLDS TOGETHER BECAUSE WHERE CHILDREN'S MUSEUMS WERE MOSTLY ABOUT PLAY, SCIENCE CENTERS MESHED THE OLD MUSEUM IDEA OF "WE'RE HERE TO LEARN THINGS" WITH HANDS ON INTERACTIVES.

AND MOSI HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THAT FOR ITS ENTIRE EXISTENCE AND IT'S REALLY WHAT WE DO BEST TODAY.

BUT WHEN YOU SEE A KID AND A PARENT OR AN ADULT WHO'S WITH THEM LEARNING SOMETHING TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S REALLY MAGIC THAT HAPPENS WITH IT.

AND IT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT ONLY HAPPENS AT A PLACE LIKE MOSI.

AND SO YOU CAN COME BACK TIME AFTER TIME AND DO DIFFERENT STUFF ALL THE TIME.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT I THINK MAKES IT SO MAGICAL FOR FAMILIES.

>>AND UP GOES THE INVASION FLAG, AN EVERY DREADFUL SIGHT.

AND THEY'RE OFF TO CAPTURE TAMPA.

>>ONE OF TAMPA'S ENDURING LEGENDS IS THE INFAMOUS PIRATE JOSE GASPAR.

HIS SUPPOSED ATTACK ON TAMPA HAS BEEN CELEBRATED EACH YEAR FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS WITH THE TRADITION OF THE GASPARILLA PIRATE FESTIVAL.

>>BUCCANEERS CONQUEST.

WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT COULD HAPPEN WHEN A MODERN AMERICAN CITY IS INVADED AND CAPTURED BY PIRATES?

>>TAMPA IS UNIQUE IN THAT MOORED ALONG OUR WATERFRONT IS A FULLY RIGGED PIRATE SHIP, THE JOSE GASPARILLA TWO, AND THAT'S REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR GASPARILLA CELEBRATION, WHICH WE HAVE EVERY YEAR.

IT'S KIND OF BASED ON MARDI GRAS A BIT, BUT ALSO BASED ON THE LIFE OF THIS PIRATE NAMED JOSE GASPAR.

AND THERE'S NO EVIDENCE THAT JOSE GASPAR ACTUALLY EXISTED.

BUT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF RESEARCH TRYING TO FIND JOSE GASPAR.

BUT IN 1904, THE KERNALS OF THAT LEGEND WERE GREATLY ENHANCED BY A MAN NAMED GEORGE HARDEE AND A WOMAN NAMED LOUISE DODGE.

AND TOGETHER THEY HELPED FORM YE MYSTIC KREWE OF GASPARILLA AND CREATE THE GASPARILLA CELEBRATION.

AND HARDEE IN PARTICULAR REALLY EXPLORED AND FOSTERED THE LEGEND OF JOSE, GASPAR ADDED ACTUALLY, THE NAME JOSE TO GASPAR.

>>TAMPA DOES FURNISH A GRACIOUS SETTING FOR AN INVASION.

>>AND FROM THAT LITTLE KERNEL IN 1904 YOU NOW HAVE WHAT IS I BELIEVE THE THIRD LARGEST PARADE IN THE COUNTRY EVERY YEAR AFTER MARDI GRAS AND AFTER THE ROSE BOWL PARADE.

AND IT'S JUST THIS KIND OF MONTH LONG CELEBRATION SO IT'S REALLY BECOME REALLY INTEGRAL TO TAMPA'S HISTORY AND ITS MODERN DAY TOURISM.

[MUSIC] >>THAT WRAPS UP THIS TAMPA EDITION OF FLORIDA ROAD TRIP, I'M BUDDY PITTMAN.

THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

PLEASE JOIN US NEXT TIME AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THE RICH HISTORY THAT SURROUNDS US ALL EACH AND EVERY DAY.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC ENDS] >>THIS PROGRAM IS BROUGHT TO YOU IN PART BY THE PAUL B HUNTER AND CONSTANCE D HUNTER CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, A PROUD PARTNER OF WUCF AND THE CENTRAL FLORIDA COMMUNITY.