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Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa-St.
Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan area.
The City of Tampa is located in Hillsborough
County on the west coast of central Florida.
Tampa experiences subtropical to temperate
climate. Winters and springs tend to be
foggy and summers are hot and humid with
chances of thunderstorms.
Tampa
also has many museums including the Museum
of Science and Industry which has an IMAX
theatre for enjoyment and many Zoological
gardens and aquariums. Hyde Park is an
upscale district in South Tampa that has
many fine shops, restaurants, and a movie
theatre. Tampa offers an abundance of
attractions and activities ranging from Big
Red Sightseeing Adventures, where visitors
can go on hot air balloon rides to the
historic Tampa theatre. Tampa is home to
many venues that hold live concerts such as
the Gorilla Theatre and the Tampa Bay
Performing Arts Theatre.
Tampa has a few shopping centers which
includes the International Plaza and West
Shore Mall, which is located in the West
shore business district and is home to many
upscale department stores. For those who
enjoy sports, Tampa is home to the Tampa Bay
Devil Rays, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the
Tampa bay Lightning.
Each year Tampa holds the Florida State
Fair, which attracts many residents and
visitors. Tampa has many colleges and
universities including the University of
Tampa, the University of South Florida, and
Florida Metropolitan University. Tampa
offers a variety of housing options ranging
from single family homes to large estates.
Tampa remains affordable compared with other
metropolitan areas in Florida; with an
average home price of $225,000. New
construction continues in Tampa with homes
being built on the waterfront, on golf
courses, and in urban communities. Tampa is
a great city for retirees and people looking
for affordable housing.
Who is Tampa?
The City of Tampa is located on the west
coast of Florida in Hillsborough County. It
is bordered by Old Tampa Bay and
Hillsborough Bay, which then flow through
Tampa Bay into the Gulf of Mexico. Tampa
encompasses approximately 170 square miles,
with land‐surface elevations ranging from
sea‐level along the coast to approximately
55 feet above sea level. The climate of the
city is humid subtropical, characterized by
heavy summer rainfall and high temperatures
and dry, moderate winters. The climate is
the result of low latitude and the
stabilizing effect of the Gulf of Mexico and
the Atlantic Ocean. “Tampa”, meaning “sticks
of fire”, was named by the Calusa Indians,
native to Southern Florida, prior to
European exploration. In 1823, Fort Brooke
was established at the mouth of the
Hillsborough River on Tampa Bay, at what is
now the site of the Tampa Convention Center
in Downtown Tampa. European settlers soon
established homesteads around the wooden
fort. In 1845, the Territory of Florida
became the 27th state of the Union. Tampa’s
first incorporation occurred in 1849 when
the city’s population numbered 185
inhabitants, excluding Fort Brooke.
Powerless to levy taxes, the organized
government was abolished in 1852. The
following year, Tampa’s citizens voted to
re‐establish local government and the
Legislature validated the city incorporation
in 1855. The city's first census count in
1850 listed Tampa‐Fort Brooke as having 974
residents. By 1910, Tampa was the second
largest city in Florida with a population of
37,782, second in size to the City of
Jacksonville. It was an ethnically diverse
city that included Cubans, Afro Cubans,
Spaniards, Italians, Sicilians, African
Americans and other European ethnicities.
Tampa Today
The City of Tampa is now the
third largest city in the state of Florida
and the center of a metropolitan area of
almost 3 million people. Tampa is a vibrant
city with a distinct quality of life and its
residents enjoy a substantial legacy from
the vision of past generations. Tampa is the
region's economic engine and a magnet for
work, education, entertainment and living.
Tampa is also a city where cherished
traditions and new ideas are both valued,
where established residents and newcomers
work side by side to make their city a
better place. The most significant part of
Tampa’s identity is our diverse,
enterprising and friendly people. The
central challenge of this Comprehensive Plan
is to protect and enhance this rich
inheritance. Livable City Vision,
Florida
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