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Max Herman of Official Ybor City Ghost Tours introduced me to his "friend," Don Vicente Martinez de Ybor, the cigar entrepreneur who founded Ybor City in 1886. Of course, the "friend" is just a bronze statue, but without him, Ybor City would not exist. Ybor City is like a city within a city. It has some of the most haunted building in America. It's one of only three National Historic Landmark Districts in Florida. Max led me on a terrific ghost tour of Ybor City. The Official Ybor City Ghost Tour is so good it's ranked #1 ghost tour on US City Traveler. One thing that differentiates it from other tours is you go into some buildings, not just look from outside. In addition, my guide told a lot of authentic Ybor City history.
We visited Centro Espanol, the Spanish Club. Now in Ybor
City, clubs had a different meaning than a nightclub or a
health club today, although in some ways they served both
purposes. Ybor City was the "Cigar Capital of the World."
Although Don Ybor brought many Cuban workers here to work his
factory, many other immigrants came because here jobs were
plentiful. The city was filled with Cubans, Spaniards,
Romanian Jews, Sicilians, Italians, Germans, and more. Each
immigrant mingled daily with other nationalities, but on
Sundays and in evenings, they each had their own clubs. They
paid about a quarter a week. This provided them with not only
a place to socialize, dance, gamble, and enjoy entertainment,
but also had a doctor on staff in case of illness. Think about
that. A quarter a week for health care? Who wouldn't join for
that alone? Max told of the night in 1908 when a fire broke out in the
Spanish Club. A group of 18 somewhat shady citizens was in one
room. The mayor's assistant, head police chief, and members of
the organized crime family were meeting there. They had pushed
a large safe in front of the door, probably for privacy. When
the fire exploded, they could not push the safe away. One of
them even shot the safe trying to get out. All 18 perished.
The safe, with its bullet hole, is still there in the lobby.
Today, workers in the improv Club next door and those in the
Centro building hear screams coming from that room. Another interesting spot with a history and a tragic love
story is now a place called Cerealholic, a cross between a
kid's slumber party upstairs and a speakeasy downstairs.
However, at one time, it was a Catholic Church. I don't want
to spoil the surprise if you take the tour, but it's here in
the basement a tragic murder left a spirit behind. Max showed
me a video of an apparition that happened there to one of the
workers. The most beautiful and most haunted stop was the Cuban Club
named by The Travel Channel as one of its Top 10 Most Haunted
Places in America. It is gorgeous. It also had something none
of the other clubs had, a swimming pool. The pool was the
scene of tragic drowning of a little eight-year-old boy. He
still plays there. Visitors often bring him balls and toys. The classic theater upstairs has its spirit resident as
well. A talented young actor who experienced stage fright for
his first play. His friends in the audience booed and left. He
then repeated the play perfectly and ended by hanging himself
on the stage. One more interesting fact about the club has nothing to do
with ghosts except the spirit of racial inequality that still
haunts us. This Cuban club was officially for the white
Cubans. There was another club for the Black Cubans, however,
at night when much of the city was asleep, Black Cubans would
come to this club and were welcomed just like any other
Cubans. this is just a touch of the tour. To appreciate the tour,
you really need to experience it yourself. It is unbeatable. https://www.yborghosttour.com/
We'd love your comments!
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