Transportation and Early Aviation
Left: A woman poses on a Tampa Police Department motorcycle while children gather around. This photo offers a rare look at early police transportation in Tampa.
Right: Pilots and mechanics stand beside the first airplane known to have flown to Tampa. It marks a significant milestone in the city’s aviation history.
Commercial Air Travel
Rose Esperante received a complimentary ticket for an “air-sightseeing cruise” aboard the world’s largest commercial seaplane. The flight was part of the Pan American Airways System and was scheduled at Tampa International Airport on December 3, 1933. This represents Tampa’s early role in international air travel.
Everyday Life and Transportation
Left: Two Seminole women prepare cane syrup using traditional methods. Their activity highlights the cultural practices of Florida’s Native communities.
Right: The Ballast Point Street Car, a later streetcar model, had a single entrance and traveled from downtown Tampa to Ballast Point Park along Bayshore Boulevard. It reflects the evolving public transportation system of the time.
Business and Services
An advertisement for C.W. Patterson’s undertaking business appeared in the Tampa Daily Times on January 28, 1915. It illustrates early 20th-century funeral services and business marketing.
Street Views and Automobiles
Left: A view from around 1905 looks north on Franklin Street in Tampa. The image shows the Hillsborough County Courthouse, buildings, people, a buggy, and a trolley, capturing a bustling moment in the city’s development.
Right: Two people pose in the first car to ever arrive in Tampa, marking a local landmark in automotive history.
Public Safety and Commerce
A fire carriage drawn by horses stands outside the Tampa Fire Department, with uniformed firemen present. The photo, taken around the turn of the century, reflects early fire safety measures in the city.
Grocery Bill
A 1911 grocery bill from the H.A. Fuller Company to Mr. M.H. Wyatt lists purchased items and their prices. It offers insight into the daily commerce and household expenses of the era.
Sanitation Facilities
A view of an outhouse with its door open reveals the basic sanitation infrastructure used in early Florida homes. It shows the practical and modest facilities that were once common.