FROM CEDAR TO CIGARS 11/1/2008 Workers gathered in front of the Tampa Box Company on 7th Avenue and 17th Street in Ybor City between 1895 and 1905. In the early days of Tampa, you could stand on the banks of the Hillsborough River, and if the wind was blowing just right, you might smell the thick aroma of cedar permeating the air. As cigar factories from Palmetto Beach to West Tampa hummed with workers, several ancillary businesses sprouted to support the booming industry. Restaurants and boarding houses kept workers fed and housed. At the same time, other companies manufactured the equipment and tools necessary to produce quality hand-rolled cigars. Along with leading the nation in producing "Clear" or "Puro Havana" cigars, Tampa was also a leading producer of cedar cigar boxes and was home to one the world's largest box manufacturers, Tampa Box Company. Between 1889 and 1960, several box companies operated in Tampa. While these companies often merged, ...
