Hillsborough County was formed in 1834 and named for Hillsborough River
and Bay, the latter better known as Tampa Bay even before the days of its modern
Buccaneers. The Earl of Hillsborough was secretary of state for
colonies during the brief British occupation of Florida. The county seat is Tampa, which
grew up around Seminole War-era Ft. Brooke. As with many aboriginal names, the origin is
obscure. One appropriate possibility is "many fires," given Tampa's more modern
nickname "Cigar City."
There have been numerous courthouses in
Tampa, most centered around the present downtown. The first structure, a log cabin,
reportedly was burned at the outbreak of the Second Seminole War. An attractive
wooden courthouse, distinguished by its picket fence, arose on Madison  Street in 1855. Built for less than $5,000, it served the county for
over thirty years. Later moved to Florida Avenue, it also served as Tampa's first
hospital. It was replaced in 1892 by a large courthouse topped by an "onion
dome" reminiscent of the nearby Tampa Bay Hotel (now the University of Tampa) - in
all likelihood because both were designed by architect J. A. Wood. The pictures of
the multi-story structure which replaced it are from the 1940's. A skyscraper was acquired
for use as a county government center. Another courthouse building was constructed
in 1952 and due to an increased caseload, the George E. Edgecomb Building Courthouse was
built and began business in 2003. |
