The artist’s interpretation of the piece:
The main intersection of West Tampa was at Main and Howard. Streetcars
ran through both roads and it was the heartbeat of the small business district.
This hub was a pale imitation of La Setima in Ybor City. The main building
was the First Bank. Above were the offices of dentists, lawyers, and insurance
companies. In contrast to Ybor City, very few first-class restaurants existed
on this street. My grandfather owned Cruz Pharmacy, and my father, J.B.
back worked as a pharmacist there as well.
The bank still stands today, although it has been downscaled to house
the famous 4th of July Café. The many exciting revolutionary tales,
political intrigues, and gangland murders, occurred in the 4th of July Café.
Of the old, boom days of West Tampa, only the 4th of July Café remains
viable today. The specialty is café con leche in a glass, with succulent
hot steamy chunk of Cuban Bread, and they serve it all day long. No one
going to West Tampa should miss this treat.
My personal memory is a painful one. Dr. Mansker, a dentist, owed my father
some money and he paid him back in trade. This meant he took care of my
brother and I. In order to save money, Dr. Mansker shunned the use of local
anesthetic, Novocain. All teeth were drilled with an old foot pedal, a slow,
painful drill without anesthetic. Is it any wonder that we lived in fear
of going to West Tampa? |
