Cigar Production in Tampa and Ybor City 1886-1939

(Cigar City Magazine) How were cigars made? What was the process by which tobacco was cultivated, harvested, and formed into a "Clear Havana" cigar? In this article we'll look at the physical aspects of the cigar industry in Tampa, Florida beginning with the opening of Vicente Martinez Ybor's factory in 1886 through the industry's decline in the late 1930s. How did the industry develop? How did the factories operate? Who worked in them? What jobs did they perform? Though you may be familiar with the "Ybor City Story," sometimes the simple questions get overlooked. Continued

Photo: "A Tampa, Fla., cigarmaker adolescent. Many beautiful girls and women in the business. Location: Tampa, Florida." (Lewis Wickes Hine/Library of Congress)