Tampa’s history goes largely unrecognized by many of the city’s tourists and newer residents. With the exception of a few hard-to-miss standouts, like the silver-capped, former Tampa Bay Hotel (circa 1891), “progress” has erased much of Tampa’s early years from sight. But those years have not been erased from memory, as one local filmmaker has discovered.
Gene Howes is becoming known as the Sherlock Holmes of the Urban Corridor (UC). He’s a detective using the lens of a camera – instead of a magnifying glass – to search for clues about the history of Tampa’s earliest communities.
And he loves to do it – despite the labor and time involved. So much so that four years ago he left his job and formed Cigar City Pictures. Owning his own business has provided Gene the scheduling flexibility required to produce quality work for his corporate clients (which “pays the bills”) and pursue what he describes as his passion: documenting Tampa’s history.
“It makes me happy,” said Gene, punctuating his remark with a smile. “I like nothing more than to listen to stories told by the wonderful people who have lived their entire lives here.”
While Gene’s most recent documentary focuses on the early years of Seminole Heights, he’s already completed one on Ybor City (for its museum) and started another about a famous downtown landmark, the Jackson House.
Seminole Heights: Street Car Suburb
Gene, 42, and his wife, Krissy, live in Seminole Heights with their 1-year-old son, Lucas. But even though he lives there, Gene credits the idea of documenting the neighborhood to preservation advocate, Suzanne Prieur.
“Krissy was trying to get involved in the neighborhood’s preservation committee and was on the phone with Suzanne, the committee’s event producer,” said Gene. “During their talk, Suzanne mentioned the committee had begun video taping first-hand stories told by long-time residents. She then said that she’d rather be creating a documentary, ‘like the one at the Ybor City Museum.’”
Awed by the coincidence, the three got together in early 2007 and laid the foundation for what is now titled “Seminole Heights: An Intimate look at the Early Years.”
“The film will open with a brief overview of Tampa’s pre-Seminole Heights days,” said Suzanne. “It’ll then segue into the real estate boom of 1912, which turned these farmlands into a quaint suburb of downtown.”
Like the conductors of the trolleys that once strolled along Central Avenue, the film’s interviewees will guide viewers through a casual tour of the events that shaped the neighborhood. The film’s last stop, for now, will be the post-World War II years of the 1950s.
“[The neighborhood association] and I have also agreed to do two more installments,” revealed Gene. “In them, we’ll share how the construction of I275 and the current surge of revitalization have impacted the area.”
While many locations, including the neighborhood’s very own Seminole Theatre (circa 1926), were considered for the debut of this first installment, the team eventually decided on Tampa Theatre.
See “Seminole Heights: An Intimate look at the Early Years,” at Tampa Theatre (711 N. Franklin St.), April 17, 2008, 7:30pm. Tickets: $5 or free to those who lived in Seminole Heights before 1945. For more information, see the ad on the inside front cover or visit www.TampaTheatre.org.
Ybor City: Passage in Time
As with Tampa’s timeline, Gene’s venture into Seminole Heights’ past was preluded by a walk through Ybor City’s.
“That opportunity came to me just over four years ago,” said Gene. “That’s when the Ybor City Museum received a grant to have a documentary produced that would highlight the major events from 1886 to the 1960s.”
After a brief meeting with then museum curator, Maureen Patrick, Gene was assigned the project, which he eagerly accepted.
“I had already done documentaries around the world, but that job gave me the opportunity to work on something meaningful and personal and in my own backyard.” Gene said. “It was great!”
Gene’s knack for thoroughness had him working all hours of the day; reading Tampa history books and sorting through documents in the University of South Florida’s Department of Special Collections. He also performed multiple interviews with people who know Ybor best, like historian Gary Mormino.
One of the most disturbing, yet fascinating facts Gene discovered through his research is just how fresh the memories of the Jim Crow era are in the minds of many of Ybor City’s Cuban descendents.
“During the 20s, 30s and 40s, these laws were still being strictly followed and enforced by most of Tampa,” Gene explained, as he reflected on the interviews. “For example, even if two Cuban children had the same parents, if one child had dark skin and the other light, they could not even be members of the same Cuban Club.”
When asked how his experience with Seminole Heights’ documentary compared to his experience with Ybor’s, Gene paused for several seconds.
“Krissy and I had to dig a lot deeper into Seminole Heights’ history,” said Gene of his and his wife’s research efforts. “Meanwhile people have been capturing Ybor’s for many years.”
He went on to explain that in the old days, Ybor City was exactly that – a city. An active, melding pot of ethnicities. Seminole Heights was a suburb, which was more representative of Tampa’s overall growth.
“While Seminole Heights didn’t share in Ybor’s notorious past, what the two neighborhoods did share was a sense of community – and that’s still evident to this day,” said Gene. “It’s a characteristic that many people in the U.S. often feel their neighborhoods lack.”
“Ybor City: A Passage in Time,” shows regularly at the Ybor City Museum and can be purchased there on DVD for $25.
Downtown Tampa: Saving History
As for what his next UC project will be, Gene is already in the midst of creating a preservation video for the 100-year-old Jackson house. The landmark is located at 871 E. Zack St. in the granddaddy of all UC neighborhoods, downtown Tampa.
He has plans to elaborate on the project, but for now Gene is working on a short history of the place, which was once a blacks-only rooming house.
“During the segregation era, when people arrived in Tampa by train, they’d get off at Union Station,” Gene explained. “Whites would then head off to the Union Hotel and Café, while blacks went to the nearby Jackson House.”
The house is located close to where Tampa’s then-famous Central Avenue formed the center of downtown’s black business and entertainment district. Back in the 40s and 50s, this district was lined with nightclubs that regularly hosted such high-profile acts as Cab Calloway, Count Basey, Ray Charles, James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, Chick Webb and The Ink Spots; all of whom visited and/or stayed in the Jackson House.
During the 60s, most of this district was destroyed. It was then concreted over when I275 was constructed.
“The Jackson House is a rare treasure … and one that needs to be preserved,” Gene said, then went on to explain his part in doing so.
He has teamed up with the property’s owner, Willie Robinson Jr., 59. Although the two work together toward a common goal, Willie’s motivation is a lot more personal. Not only has the house been home to his family for four generations, but before his mother (and previous owner of the home) passed away, he promised her he’d do all he could to protect the property from redevelopment and to share its history with all of Tampa.
“That real estate is worth a whole lot of money; but that’s just how important the house’s preservation is to him,” Gene said of Willie.
Willie plans to use the Jackson House video to raise corporate support for the structure’s preservation. For more information, contact Willie at (813) 228-9376.
Cigar City Pictures
Through his Seminole Heights-based company, Cigar City Pictures, Gene Howes creates historic documentaries, as well as television commercials and industrial films for corporations, advertising agencies and marketing companies.
Gene is New Heights’ photography director and has provided many of the photos in this issue. He also provides ad photography. To reach Gene, visit www.CigarCityPictures.com, call (813) 598-6574 or contact New Heights at (813) 389-8116.