The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Tampa in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States.
19th century
1824 – Fort Brooke established by U.S. Army in the Territory of Florida. 1831 – Tampa Bay post office established. 1845 – Tampa Bay becomes part of the new U.S. state of Florida. 1848 – 1848 Tampa Bay hurricane. 1849 – Village of Tampa incorporated. 1850 – Oaklawn Cemetery established. 1855 – Town of Tampa incorporated. 1856 – Joseph B. Lancaster becomes mayor. 1859 – First Baptist Church established. 1861 – Town becomes part of Confederate States of America. 1862 – June 30-July 1: Battle of Tampa. 1863 – October 16–18: Battle of Fort Brooke. 1873 Yellow fever outbreak. Tampa Guardian newspaper in publication. 1877 – Gainesville-Tampa stagecoach begins operating. 1882 – Hillsborough High School opens. 1884 – South Florida Railroad begins operating. 1885 – Board of Trade established. 1886 Sanchez & Haya cigar factory begins operating. Ybor Factory Building constructed. 1887 Ybor City becomes part of Tampa. Tampa Electric Company established. 1888 – Plant Park laid out. 1889 – Florida Railway begins operating. 1890 Tampa Business College established. Telephones begin operating. 1891 Tampa Bay Hotel built. Cuban José Martí gives speech "Los Pinos Nuevos". 1893 – Tampa Daily Times newspaper begins publication. 1895 – Tampa Fire Department established. 1899 Burgert photo studio in business. Circulo Cubano founded. 1900 – Tampa Woman's Club formed.
20th century
1900s-1950s
1901 – Jackson Rooming House in business. 1904 – South Florida Fair and Gasparilla Parade begin. 1905 Columbia Restaurant in business. Sacred Heart Catholic Church and United States Courthouse Building constructed. 1907 St. Andrew's Episcopal Church built. Havatampa Cigar Company in business. 1908 – YMCA built. 1912 Union Station opens. El Centro Español de Tampa building constructed. El Comercio Spanish-language newspaper begins publication. Union Hotel in business. 1913 – Centro Asturiano de Tampa building constructed. 1914 – St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line begins operating. 1915 – Tampa City Hall built. 1916 – Heraldo Dominical Spanish-language newspaper begins publication. 1917 Tampa Public Library opens. Circulo Cubano de Tampa rebuilt. 1918 – Unione Italiana building constructed. 1920 – Population: 51,608. 1922 WDAE radio begins broadcasting. La Gaceta trilingual newspaper begins publication. 1924 – Gandy Bridge to St. Petersburg built. 1925 West Tampa becomes part of Tampa. Municipal Auditorium built. WFLA radio begins broadcasting. 1926 Junior League of Tampa founded. Tampa Theatre opens. 1927 Sulphur Springs Water Tower erected. Floridan Hotel in business. 1930 – Population: 101,161. 1931 Labor strike of cigar workers. Tampa Junior College established. 1934 – Davis Causeway opens. 1938 – Janus Administration Building constructed. 1939 – U.S. Army Southeast Air Base established. 1940 – Population: 108,391. 1950 – Population: 124,681. 1955 - WFLA-TV and WTVT (television) begin broadcasting. 1956 – Britton Plaza Shopping Center in business. 1957 – Lowry Park Zoo opens. 1959 – Busch Gardens theme park in business.
1960s-1990s
1960 – Population: 274,970. 1961 - The Pinellas Manufacturers Association (now known as the Bay Area Manufacturers Association) was formed. 1962 – Museum of Science and Industry founded. 1966 – Franklin Exchange Building constructed. 1968 - Hope Children's Home established. 1970 – Population: 277,767. 1972 Sant'Yago Knight Parade begins. Floriland Cinema in business. 1978 – Cracker Country (museum) established. 1979 May 8: Storm. Tampa Museum of Art founded. 1980 Hillsborough Area Regional Transit established. Population: 271,523. 1981 – Feeding America Tampa Bay active (approximate date). 1982 – Foreign trade zone and Ybor City Museum Society established. 1984 – Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System established. 1986 – Barnett Plaza (hi-rise) built. 1987 Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center opens. Children's Museum founded. 1988 – Rivergate Tower built. 1989 – Tampa Bay History Center founded. 1990 Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival begins. Population: 280,015. 1992 – AmSouth Building and SunTrust Financial Centre constructed. 1995 – Florida Aquarium opens. 1996 City website online. Ice Palace (arena) opens. 1997 Jim Davis becomes U.S. representative for Florida's 11th congressional district. Tampa Police Museum founded. 2000 - Channelside 9 Cinemas in business.