Downtown Tampa is the center of activity for the entire Tampa Bay region.
Whether you’re catching a Tampa Bay Lightning game or enjoying a show at Tampa Theater, downtown Tampa is bustling with activities and entertainment.
But one of the more odd details about downtown Tampa is after whom some of the streets are named. It’s not uncommon for a major city to name important streets after past presidents. Tampa certainly does that. But what is odd is downtown Tampa’s fondness for several lesser known presidents as well.
James Madison and Andrew Jackson each have a street named after them. A major roadway through South Tampa from the bay to downtown is named after President John F. Kennedy. One street even honors founding father, Benjamin Franklin.
But then there are the lesser known presidents. I would bet most Americans wouldn’t even recognize these men as former presidents.
In fact, every U.S. President from 1841 to 1857, with the exception of Millard Fillmore, has a street named after him.
Interestingly, Abraham Lincoln, arguably the greatest U.S. President, is not represented with a street named after him in downtown.
Kennedy Blvd. - Not necessarily irrelevent, but do you know what the road was named before being named after Kennedy?
(Photo by Fester/BBGI)
Kennedy Blvd., of course you know about his life and death. Did you know the name of the road before it was named for the 35th president? Lafayette Street
Corner of Jefferson St. And Washington St. - More of the obvious... we'll get to the irrelevant soon
(Photo by Fester/BBGI)
Of course there is George Washington Street and a Thomas Jefferson Street.
Andrew Jackson
(Photo by Fester/BBGI)
Again, one of the obvious choices to have a named road in downtown Tampa.
Zack Street
(Photo by Fester/BBGI)
Then there is Zack Street, named for president Zachary Taylor. A famous military general from the war of 1812 but a very unmemorable president.
James K. Polk
(Photo by Fester/BBGI)
There is also a street named after President James K Polk. Another in a long line of unremarkable presidents in the early half of the 1800s in the United States.
If you were wondering, Polk County, Hillsborough County’s neighbor to the east, is also named after President James K Polk, although the man never set foot in the state of Florida.Franklin Pierce
(Photo by Fester/BBGI)
And of course, we cannot forget President Franklin Pierce. He was the last president before the tensions that eventually led to the Civil War, really started heating up.
William Henry Harrison
(Photo by Fester/BBGI)
There is a Street for president, William Henry Harrison, who is only famous for being in office the shortest amount of time. He died shorty after catching a cold during his inauguration speech.
John Tyler
(Photo by Fester/BBGI)
And then there is President John Tyler, he was most famous for being the first man to become president from the vice president’s office. This one however, actually makes the most sense, President Tyler was in office in 1845 when Florida was admitted as the 27th state to the union.
