You have probably seen the second oldest map of Tampa. Drawn in 1886 by surveyor John Jackson, the map has been made into a poster which you can see in various places throughout the region.
Well, now you can see the very oldest known map of Tampa. 
The Tampa Bay History Center was recently given the 1847 Plan of the Village of Tampa map. Until last month, nobody even knew there was an older map than the 1886 version. The St. Pete Times did a story on how the map was found.
Click on the map to see a larger image.
robyn
2 years ago
Very cool…love me some Tampa history!
Vince
2 years ago
Outstanding! That is simply beautiful!
If anyone has a list of street name changes over the history of Tampa, I’m in great need of it for The Tampa Chronograph!
Clark
2 years ago
If you look closely, you can almost see westbound ox-drawn carts on Lafayette blocking the north/south traffic on Morgan.
Damien
2 years ago
Love the simple “Water Street” along the waters edge.
vox pop
2 years ago
Cantor Brown wrote an extremely informative history of tampa which dates back to pre-civil war times. It’s where (upon reading of various associations in criminal behavior) I got the description for my blog. That and the city charter date proudly emblazoned on that big blue garbage thing they forced on some residents.
It amazes me how proud they are of this. Hey, I’m the biggest thief. NO, ME. No, ME !!
If you read the book, you’ll understand the gestalt.
And, today — all the slave-owners (and yep it goes into that, name after name .. actually I haven’t finished it yet) are still in business with the people they held in slavery so long ago.
This knowledge might be spread among several books I read at the time and/or am still reading.
It’s an excellent book. Reading it you could envision Tampa nearly completely empty. It was a fort. (as I am sure most of you are aware) It moved towards the time that the civil war started and the nefarious reasons why some joined or didn’t join the fight and how they chose which side to take.
It really is a revelation to know these things and then to juxtapose that with the same name families of today and also the ones who have absolutely no history in Tampa yet believe we should elect them to office so they show us how it’s done and wreck Tampa a bit more. We’ve been sold out.