How to Use the Images

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Photo 4: L'Unione Italiana, 1919.

(Courtesy of Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System)

L'Unione Italiana was founded in 1894. Construction began on the current clubhouse in 1917 after a fire destroyed the previous one. The $80,000 Italian Renaissance-style building, featuring classical columns, terra cotta relief and marble, included a theater, dance floor, library, cantina (bar), and bowling alley.

Photo 5: Circulo Cubano, 1926.

(Courtesy of Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System)

The Cubans formed El Club Nacional Cubano in 1899, which was renamed El Circulo Cubano in 1902. The current clubhouse, completed in 1918, replaced an earlier building damaged by fire. The $60,000 clubhouse contained a cantina, a ballroom decorated by Cuban painters, a theater, pharmacy, library, gymnasium, and boxing arena. Imported tile, stained glass windows, and marble provide decorative detail.

Photo 6: Centro Asturiano, 1925.

(Courtesy of Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System)

Centro Asturiano, founded in 1904, was named for the province in Spain from which most of its members came. The Beaux Arts style clubhouse that stands today was unveiled in 1914. It was built for the then-astronomical cost of $110,000 and touted as "the most beautiful building in the south" by the Tampa Tribune. It contained a 1,100-seat theater, cantina (bar), library, and ballroom. Even today activities at the club include theatrical productions in both Spanish and English, concerts, and operas.

Questions for Photos 4, 5, 6

1. What features do the three clubhouses shown in Photos 4-6 have in common?

2. What do the appearances of the buildings reveal about the importance of the clubhouses to club members?

* The image on the screen has a resolution of 72 dots per inch (dpi), and therefore will print poorly. You can obtain a high resolution version of Photo 4, Photo 5, and Photo 6 but be aware that each will take about 30 seconds to load with a 28.8K modem.

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