You can now take a scenic ride on the Cross-Bay Ferry straight to Tampa, and the dock is just a short walk from the Tampa Bay History Center (801 Water Street). The waterfront bastion of local and state history has a new exhibition dedicated to a vibrant and tumultuous time in the Sunshine State.
The 1920s were a formative time for the state of Florida, especially in Tampa. Bootleggers flocked to our brick streets to smuggle illegal booze, and the very first Art Deco buildings began to rise. At the same time, Mediterranean fruit flies attacked citrus groves and the state’s brutal convict-leasing program ensnared thousands. Tampa Bay History Center’s upcoming exhibition Decade of Change: Florida in the 1920s officially debuts on November 4 and will remain on view through July 14, 2024.
Among the many seismic shifts in culture occurring in this time period was the evolution of the bathing suit. The quintessential Gulf Coast uniform received a major upgrade in the 1920s. Gone were the days of stockings and bloomers, making way for more revealing styles that bared the knee and lower thigh. This sartorial rebellion raised eyebrows, prompting the American Association of Park Superintendents to issue strict Bathing Suit Regulations in 1917, limiting swim skirts to a mere two inches above the knee. Meanwhile, in Miami, Jane Fisher, the dynamic spouse of developer Carl Fisher, took credit for introducing lightweight beach attire. As a passionate swimmer, she loathed cumbersome swimwear and proudly declared that after donning the modern suit in South Florida, “not a black cotton stocking was to be seen on the beach.”
The road to a tourism boom in Florida
Get ready to dive into the Prohibition era at Decade of Change. Florida took a legal stand against booze in 1919, a year ahead of the nationwide prohibition. But the dry movement was already in full swing, with local and statewide laws making many counties parched between 1900 and 1918. This exhibit features fascinating relics like a Polk County newsletter championing the Prohibition cause, and snapshots of Tampa’s own Judge Leo Stalnaker, a steadfast advocate for the dry movement.
In 1925, nearly 2.5 million tourists visit to enjoy Florida’s developing roadways. Gone were the days of solely relying on trains or steamboats; now, folks were hitting the Florida roads in style, be it in fancy coupes, quirky jalopies, or something in between. Let’s not forget the motorist camps that sprung up during this tourism frenzy! One of the pioneers in this trend? Tampa’s very own DeSoto Park, a true trailblazer in the movement.
A deep dive into the history of the Sunshine State
The exhibition also peels back the layers on Jim Crow politics, architectural marvels, and the surge of religious fervor in the 1920s. Brace yourself for a journey into a complex political landscape, where Jim Crow policies and anti-immigrant sentiments took center stage in Florida’s political arena.
Meanwhile, the roaring twenties saw a spiritual awakening, with Pentecostalism, revivals, and charismatic radio preachers leaving an indelible mark on American culture. As suburban landscapes began to bloom, iconic bungalows sprung up, forever altering the architectural fabric of the era. This exhibit takes you on a whirlwind tour through a transformative decade that shaped Florida’s cultural landscape. You can learn more about the upcoming exhibition on Tampa Bay History Center’s website.
Explore new digital collections at The History Center
A new digital collection, Florida Front and Center, also launches this October. Florida Front and Center is putting our state’s story front and center in the grand tapestry of U.S. history. This showcase shines a spotlight on Florida’s colonial roots, tracing back even before the Pilgrims set foot on Plymouth Rock. And don’t blink, because it also dives into Florida’s colossal post-World War II expansion and political clout. Altogether, Florida Front and Center unveils a 500+ year saga of the Sunshine State.
There’s still time to visit the museum’s current exhibition Etched Feathers. The brilliant collection of avian-inspired works will remain on view through October 15.
The state of Florida is a birders paradise. Our recent stint of flamingo-mania post-Idalia is proof of that. Pelicans, spoonbills, herons, hawks, screech owls, parrots, and other stunning avian species make the Sunshine State an even more lush and lovely place to call home. Artist John Costin and other infatuated creatives have used dynamic processes to capture the majesty of these creatures. Both their works and their processes are on fulll display at the Tampa Bay History Center.
Experience the Tampa Soul Walk
If it’s one event you put on your calendar for October, make it Florida Conversations: Tampa Soul Walk on October 17. Fred Hearns, curator of Black history, and Robin Nigh, arts and cultural affairs manager for the City of Tampa, join a distinguished guest panel that designed the Soulwalk arts and heritage “trail.” Nearly 100 stops spanning approximately 46 miles across 25 neighborhoods tell the rich history of Tampa’s Black communities and highlight the diverse, thriving, creative community in present-day Tampa.
The event begins at 6:30pm; it’s free to attend but registration is required..
See all of Tampa Bay History Center’s current and upcoming exhibitions on its website. The museum is located at 801 Water Street.
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