1916 W Laurel St
Tampa, FL 33607, USA

1916 West Laurel St (House), Tampa, Hillsborough County, FL

This building`s architectural and historical significance is derived from its contribution to the West Tampa National Register Historic District. This ca. 1920 two-story camel-back Bungalow was altered on the front (north) facade sometime prior to 1990. The front facade was stuccoes with an "art stone" appearance. Some historic features that remain intact include wood drop siding on the remaining facades and original elements from the front porch (brick piers, wood railing, and pierced wood cornice). The city of West Tampa was established in 1895 as a community adjacent to, but separate from, the City of Tampa and remained an incorporated city for thirty years. Like Ybor City, West Tampa was originally developed to promote the cigar industry in Tampa. In 1887, a group of Tampa businessmen, led by Tampa lawyer Hugh C. Macfarlane, began to promote the area west of the Hillsborough River as a possible location for a second cigar manufacturing center. They were successful as cigar factories, social clubs, schools, residences, commercial buildings and other public institutions were constructed. Most of the housing consisted of wood frame vernacular rowhouses and bungalows. This house is a good example of the two-story camel-back Bungalow found occasionally in West Tampa.