Port Tampa (neighborhood)

Port Tampa is a neighborhood in the southwesternmost portion within the city limits of Tampa, Florida on the western end of the Interbay Peninsula. Within this neighborhood is Picnic Island Park as well as several public schools including Westshore Elementary, Monroe Middle School, and Robinson High School.

It is sometimes confused with the Port of Tampa, Tampa's larger port area near downtown on the northern end of Hillsborough Bay.

History

See also: History of Tampa, Florida

Port Tampa City was established in 1885, a town built around the end of the Henry B. Plant railroad line. The shallow draft at Tampa's main port could not support the larger ships of the day, so Plant created a new port several miles away. Port Tampa was the primary port of embarkation for the Spanish-American War in Cuba. In June 1898 Port Tampa and the city of Tampa hosted more than 33,000 visitors including military officers, enlisted men, nurses, civilian clerks, teamsters, packers, stevedores, war correspondents, tourists, and a host of foreign military observers. Wartime notables who passed through Port Tampa included Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders, the Buffalo Soldiers, Clara Barton of the American Red Cross, Richard Harding Davis, Stephen Crane, and Frederic Remington.

Port Tampa became less important when several dredging projects made the Port of Tampa accessible to all shipping. The port is still in use, however, and is the main entry point for fuel for both Tampa International Airport and MacDill Air Force Base.

Though the city of Port Tampa was annexed by the City of Tampa in 1961, community members still recognize the neighborhood's heritage. A centennial celebration was held in 1993, complete with home tours, and a large block party in the Spanish-American War Memorial Park at the corner of Interbay Blvd. and Westshore Blvd.

A large neoclassical style building with marble base and glazed terracotta tile above, formerly used as a bank, was saved from demolition through a community effort spearheaded by the Port Tampa City Woman's Club and the Civic Association of Port Tampa. The renovated building was converted into the neighborhood's public library in 1998.

Boundaries

The approximate boundaries of Port Tampa are anything south of Gandy Boulevard, west of Dale Mabry Highway, and east of Tampa Bay. Locals sometimes refer to it as anything "south of Gandy" although this is not exactly true, as there are several other distinct neighborhoods across the Tampa peninsula besides Port Tampa.

Claims to Fame

Tommy Gomez was from Port Tampa City and was a Heavyweight boxer. He fought several well known heavyweights like Ezzard Charles and Jersey Joe Walcot in the famous Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Prominant Families

One of Port Tampa's most respected and socially excepted families are the Ritches. Timothy and Vyvia Ritch migrated from Jamiaca, by way of NEW York to start a new life and hopefully give their family more opportunity in the United States. Timothy purchased their first home on S. West Shore Circle in 1969 and later started a professional Kitchen Cabinet business. The older children attended local schools where they made the name Ritch synonymous with loyalty, friendship, generousity and mischeivious but innocent trouble. The last two of their seven children Robert and Christopher would be born in tampa. Another respected and well love family name is that of the Delong brothers, who would later grow to be great friends to the Ritch family. In 1985 the youngest Delong brothers, Steven and James would attended Lanier Elementary School with the youngest Ritch brothers. Together, the Ritch and Delong brothers would forge a strong alliance, and later formed the infamous Black Dragon Clan of Port Tampa.

References

• Port Tampa City Women's Club. Port Tampa City: A History of Change. 2003.