Port Tampa City, Inc. Civic Association

Tampa City is directly north of MacDill Air Force Base and shares its western border with Tampa Bay. Located in Port Tampa, Picnic Island Beach is a popular recreation area for canoeing and picnicking.

Port Tampa City was established in 1887 as the end of the Henry Plant Railroad line. The train would stop on the dock where Plant had built two hotels (now gone) -- the St. Elmo and the Port Tampa Inn. On May 11, 1961, the City of Tampa annexed the area, and Port Tampa City ceased to exist as a town. The location was made famous as the debarkation point for the Spanish-American War invasion into Cuba. Soldiers were quartered in the area, along with Teddy Roosevelt and his staff.