📜 A Few Reasons to Scroll Today:
Hidden History: Why there’s a tiny park at Interbay & Westshore
Local Businesses: Good sushi no one talks about
Fun Things to Do: Join or avoid the soccer crowds
Connect with Nature: When to walk the super low tide
Worth the Drive: Fun science for adults only
Community Contributions: Have you noticed your water change?
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Hidden History
A Significant Tiny Park
Spanish American War Memorial Park historical marker and gazebo. (By Danielle Glick for The South Tampa Scroll.)
Have you ever sat at the traffic light of the misaligned intersection of Interbay, Westshore, and Commerce streets and wondered why there is a tiny triangular park there?
And why does it have a Spanish American War Memorial in it? That war wasn’t even fought here, so why is there a historical marker for it in South Tampa?
After driving by for three years, I finally stopped for answers last month. This week was the 128th anniversary of what happened there!
You’ve probably heard of “The Rough Riders”. Turns out it wasn’t originally a motorcycle gang. The O.G. Rough Riders rode real horses into war from here 128 years ago— actual South Tampa photo below!
The Rough Riders in Port Tampa City in 1898. (By Keystone View Co. - Download Source, Public Domain.)
Teddy Roosevelt was their leader. He wasn’t a President yet, but this war is probably one of the reasons why he got elected.
This park exists because The Rough Riders rode an empty coal train into South Tampa on the same tracks you see there today. They were trying to get to the boats in Port Tampa City to take them to the Spanish-American War in Cuba. But the docks were backed up with 16,000 soldiers and equipment, so they had to get off the train a mile early and camp in the area of this city park and a county park across the street from it. The whole scene sounds (and looks) like mismanaged chaos, so badly that they had to leave a quarter of The Rough Riders behind due to lack of boat space for the horses and mules.
This was such a historic event, the city and county made their own parks and historical markers for it, which interestingly differ on the dates and details. But there is no doubt when you drive your horsepower through this intersection, you are driving where Teddy Roosevelt, The Rough Riders, and over 1,200 war horses camped!
Local Businesses
Foodie Find
Sushi roll from Baan Tawan Sushi and Thai. (By Danielle Glick for The South Tampa Scroll.)
I think I’ve tried every sushi restaurant in South Tampa and have asked a good variety of people what their favorite is. Baan Tawan Sushi and Thai is the last one I got around to trying— partly because no one ever mentioned it— and I am kind of mad about that! It is just as good as most other sushi in the area, but with the option to order Thai dishes, too. This is an excellent combo, especially if your group can’t decide on one cuisine. It’s owned by a husband and wife team who are always there working hard, and it’s worth a try.
Businesses on the Move
Daily Eats is closing on June 15 and will reopen as a new restaurant named Meeting House.
Fresh Kitchen opened a new flagship restaurant and test kitchen this week at 1719 W. Kennedy Blvd. in the former Ducky’s Sports Lounge space.
Fun Things to Do
FIFA World Cup Watch Parties
The soccer world championship matches are being played in the U.S. this year, so most sports bars with TVs are likely to be busy whenever a game is on. Team USA plays Paraguay tonight at 9pm, so plan accordingly if you want to join or avoid the crowds!
Meet New Friends
Practice speaking Italian while eating lunch at Graze on June 14.
Connect with Nature
Upcoming Natural Events
Notable Weather Changes: We’re really into summer this week with consistent highs at 91ºF and a chance of isolated thunderstorms from Wednesday onward.
Hurricane Prep: While this hurricane season is forecast to be below average, that doesn’t mean we won’t get one. If you have a hurricane/ emergency food stock leftover from last year, check to see if all the expiration dates are all still valid through November 2026.
Drought Status: Much of Florida’s drought status has improved from this month’s rains, but not our county. Hopefully soon!
Major Nature Events: June 15 is a “Super New Moon”, which creates the highest and lowest tide of the month in one day. With Summer Solstice only 2 weeks away, this should be one of the lowest tides of the year, exposing parts of Tampa Bay we rarely see! It’s interesting to walk into the bay on land normally covered by water, especially at sunset since the lowest tide will occur around 9-10pm and sunset is at 8:27pm on June 14 and 15. However, with zero moonlight, it will get very dark out there!
➡ If you capture a cool photo of this king low tide, please reply to send it to us for a chance to be featured next week!
Worth the Drive
Live Like a Tourist
Tampa’s Museum of Science & Innovation (“MOSI”) is a popular attraction for families with kids, but it is open to adults only on the evening of June 19 from 6-9PM. For $5 you get to do the experiments without screaming kids around you, taste food and drink samples, try liquid nitrogen ice cream, and watch a planetarium show. What a deal!
Roundtrip drive from South Tampa: 50 min.
Community Contributions
Have You Noticed?
The Tampa Water Department says it has been temporarily switching its water disinfection method from May 29 through June 19, which it says may cause a “slight change in the taste or odor” of the water. So we’re curious (click to vote):
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Your Local Writer & Founder: Danielle is a lover of food, craft cocktails, wine, travel, nature, and history. After living in Ohio, Dallas, New Zealand, and 37 countries as a digital nomad, Danielle decided South Tampa was the best place to settle in 2022. She blends a world’s worth of experiences with local expertise as a Meetup event organizer and marketing director to ensure The Scroll is always worth your read!