New Riverwalk Trail To Honor Tampa History

Mayor Bob Buckhorn recently announced details about the new Tampa Riverwalk Historical Monument Trail.

Winding around Tampa's Riverwalk, the trail will serve as an educational tool to residents and visitors walking along the Hillsborough River. Featuring a variety of bronze and solid granite statues and monuments, approximately seven people who lived and made a significant impact on the Tampa Bay community will be honored each year.

“These monuments are going to placed along the Riverwalk so when guests from out of city and state walk along our beautiful Riverwalk, they will be able to stop periodically and see the likeliness of these historically significant people,” says Steve Anderson, chair of the Historical Monument Trail Committee. “Visitors will be able to read a little bit about how these people contributed to where this community is today.”

Friends of the Riverwalk will work in conjunction with the Tampa History Center to honor more than 30 throughout the Historical Monument Trail. The first six honorees include moundbuilding Indians, Henry Bradley Plant, James McKay, Eleanor McWilliams Chamberlain, Vicente Martinez-Ybor and Clara Frye.

“Tampa has a really rich history and, unfortunately, for many decades, we have not done a great job at preserving that history and honoring the people who have made it happen,” Anderson says. “We really want to help people understand and develop a sense of pride for where they live.”

According to Anderson, monuments will be added each year as Tampa residents will get the opportunity to nominate the specific historic people and events of the area.

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Steve Anderson, Tampa Riverwalk Historical Monument Trail