The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Tampa's Orange Grove Hotel

The Historical Marker Database (HMdb) had an entry about a famous hotel in Tampa, Florida, that no longer exists, but which had a Civil War connection.

The Orange Grove Hotel was built right before the war in 1859 by Captain William Brinton Hooker on the northwest corner of Madison and East streets. The captain moved to Hillsborough County in 1843 and became Florida's premier "Cattle King," eventually with a herd of over 10,000 head. he got the rank of captain during the Seminole Wars.

Hookers Point is named after him.

During the Civil War, the hotel served as Confederate headquarters for the area.

In 1866, the three-story, 33 room wood frame building became the Orange Grove Hotel. It was Tampa's social center for many years before being torn down in 1945.

Many important visitors to Tampa stayed there, including Gen. William T. Sherman.

A Night at the Old Inn. --Old B-Runner

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