According to legend, Marcial's wealthy parents disowned him when he left Spain for America at age sixteen. He arrived in Ybor City, with enough money to purchase a barber shop, and began learning the trade.
Maria also immigrated from Spain, arriving in Ybor City with her parents. She started working in a cigar factory at a very young age.
Marcial & Maria fell in love and married.
The barber shop was successful for awhile, until Marcial started to spend the profits on drinking and gambling. Marcial lost the barber shop during an ill-fated card game at a local social club.
Maria was furious, and insisted that Marcial come to work with her at the cigar factory. He started by adding bands to the cigars. Maria became very skilled at rolling cigars. She actually ended up making more money than Marcial.
Working together worked. They remained happily married, and raised my grandmother in Ybor City.
That's right, Marcial & Maria are my great-grandparents.
To claim this find, use the "Message this owner" link (at top of page) and send me the answers to these questions:
(1) What is Marcial & Maria's last name?
(2) What does the asterisk before their name mean?
(3) Take a non-spoiler photo in Ybor City. Post the photo with your log. Photo must show a personal item (example: GPS, Geocaching name written on paper). Your face is not required in the photo.
Logs posted without the required photo, or posted without sending the correct answers, will be deleted. Spoiler logs/photos will be deleted.
For more history:
The Ybor City State Museum details the birth of the cigar industry in Ybor City, shows how the typical cigar worker lived, and provides a walking tour of the district and a unique gift shop.
Cigar City Magazine March/April 2007 has a great article with historical photographs and information about the immigrants that came to Ybor City.
What you need to know before you visit:
As of 1/1/25, a streetcar system provides free roundtrip rides between Ybor City and downtown Tampa (including the riverwalk, arena, aquarium and cruise port). City parking lots #3, #5 and #6 (located off 19th Street, north and south of 7th Avenue) are free for the first two hours, with additional time charged at $1 per hour. On-street parking (paid via kiosk) is $1.50 per hour between 8am-3am. Use of private parking lots is not recommended.
For safety and an age-appropriate experience, solo travelers and families with children should visit Ybor City during the day. Ybor City nightlife can be fun and vibrant, but presents higher risks after dark. If you're out late, go with a group of trusted adults, secure your valuables, stick to well-lit busy streets, be vigilant and remain aware of your surroundings.
Virtual Rewards 4.0 (2024-2025)
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.