Caveda

Tampa, Florida

Tampa, Florida, located on FL's coveted west-central Gulf coast on Tampa Bay, is the seat of Hillsborough County. The 2006 census estimates for Tampa make it the 54th largest city in the U.S., with a population of 332,888. The City of Tampa and the surrounding communities are referred to as the Tampa Bay Area.  In 2008, Tampa was awarded such distinctions as the “8th cleanest city in America,” and Forbes Magazine called it “the 5th best outdoor city."

A Native American tribe known as the Calusa, lived here and named it Tamps, meaning “sticks of fire," possibly referring to the many lightning storms that frequent the area in spring and summer. Beginning as a frontier outpost, the seven years of the Second Seminole War (1835-1841) saw an influx of white settlers to the area. By 1845, settlements had grown to where the Territory of Florida became the 27th state. Only 4 years later, Tampa was officially incorporated as the "Village of Tampa." Tampa was reincorporated as a town on December 15, 1855. Judge Joseph B. Lancaster became Tampa’s first mayor in 1856.   The railroad link to the north in 1884 saw tourists and products flowing in and fish, phosphate and cigars flowing out of Tampa, FL. Military presence expanded Tampa from village to bustling town to small city in short order.

Tampa has a lush subtropical climate. A hint of winter exists during the light winter freeze that occasionally occurs between November 15 and March 5. Tampa, Florida is the northern-most city to grow  Coconut palms and Royal palm trees. The city experienced its one and only blizzard in “The Great Blizzard of 1899” from bay effect snow off of Tampa Bay.   

Within the Tampa City limits, there are 2,265 acres dedicated to 165 city-operated parks and sugar-white beaches. Tampa, FL is home to numerous tourist attractions and travelers' destinations, including Busch Gardens Africa, Adventure Island, Lowry Park Zoo and Florida Aquarium. Business travelers are delighted to hear that their trade shows and conventions are being held at the world famous Tampa Convention Center, a modern high tech venue on Tampa Bay in downtown Tampa.

Tampa, Florida is known for its lively and diverse culture and is home to a variety of performance halls, theaters and museums. These include the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, the Tampa Theater, the Stageworks Theater Company, the Gorilla Theatre, as well as the USF Contemporary Art Museum and the Tampa Museum of Art. The Florida Orchestra also is headquartered in the Tampa Bay area. The largest performing art center south of the Kennedy Center is the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.

Interstate Highways I-4 and I-275  intersect in the downtown Tampa area.  Tampa, FL has two major toll roads that handle traffic flow in and out of town: the Lee Roy Selmon Cross-Town Expressway, also known as the Cross-Town Expressway, terminates almost at the front door of the MacDill Air Force Base; the Veterans Expressway connects the Tampa International Airport with  the Howard Frankland Bridge, the Courtney Campbell Causeway and the Gandy Bridge.

With a total enrollment of 44,891, University of South Florida is 9th in the nation for the number of enrolled students. Located just across the Hillsborough River from downtown Tampa is a private co-ed university, University of Tampa. Tampa, FL plays host to the Stetson University College of Law campus, which occupies a historic 1920s resort hotel, the Rolyat. Founded in 1900, it is Florida's first law school. Tampa’s public primary and secondary facilities, the School District of Hillsborough County (SDHC), are the eighth largest school district in the United States.

Tampa Bay, FL is home to the prestigious MacDill AFB, which boasts "America's Most Responsive, Reliable and Renowned Mobility Wing the 6th AMW." The 6th AMW is a 3,000-person force capable of rapidly projecting air refueling power anywhere in the world. Five unique groups carry out their mission to be America’s premier mobility team providing world-class air refueling, responsive airlift and airbase support to Headquarters U.S. Central Command, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, and 51 other mission partners that call MacDill home.

The City of Tampa, Florida is served by the judges and staff of the 13th Judicial Circuit which is comprised entirely of Hillsborough County, Florida. The largest and busiest division within the 13th Judicial Circuit is that of Family Law. The Hillsborough County Family Law division handles many types of cases under its area of responsibility. Cases range from name changes and adoption, paternity, child support and custody, domestic violence, divorce and more.  Being a military area, Hillsborough County Family law also deals with the special circumstances surrounding divorce for active and retired military personnel.

Tampa Accidents News

> Staged Auto Accidents On The Rise In Tampa (Central Florida News 13)

> Go cart driver and pedestrian injured in separate crashes on Tampa's Nebraska Avenue (St. Petersburg Times)

> Staged auto accidents rise in Tampa (St. Petersburg Times)

> Staged auto accidents on the rise in Tampa (Bay News 9 Tampa Bay)

> Question: 'Anarchy on Tampa Bay roads?' Answer: 'Yes' (Bay News 9 Tampa Bay)

> Magnetic Announces Winners of Transportation Conversation Video Contest (PRWeb via Yahoo! News)

> Tampa seeks solution to uproar over increased park fees (St. Petersburg Times)

> Texting ban idea lights up readers (The Brandon News & Tribune)

> Bills suggest state should monitor local traffic camera laws (The Brandon News & Tribune)

> Watch out! Tampa leads in auto insurance fraud (WTSP-TV Tampa)

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