Florida seceded during the Civil War, and Confederate troops manned Fort Brooke. The Union Navy blockaded Tampa Bay, and the successive battles of Fort Brooke and Battle of Ballast Point did damage to the Confederates. During Reconstruction, Tampa was occupied by federal troops. But really, there wasn't a whole lot to occupy. A sparsely populated fishing village with virtually no industry and no development potential, Tampa was best known for swampland mosquitoes who brought frequent epidemics of yellow fever. Again, residents abandoned Tampa in droves. In 1869, voters abolished the city government. Fort Brooke was decommissioned in 1883. Things were looking grim for Tampa until...

Phosphate! Discovered southeast of Tampa, phosphate is vital in fertilizer production and other industries. Port of Tampa became major phosphate shipping port—an industry which continues to this day. There came Henry B. Plant's South Florida Railroad, which made it easier to get goods in and out of the city—and also brought tourists. Ybor City was founded and became a production center for cigars using highly desirable Cuban tobacco. West Tampa followed Ybor Citys lead. Tampa began producing more cigars than any place on earth, hence the nickname "Cigar Capital of the World." A boomtown was born, and less than 20 years later, Tampa was one of Floridas largest cities.

The early 1900s brought Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, an association of local businessmen and civic leaders. Named for the mythical local pirate José Gaspar, the Krewe "invaded" the city and held a parade. The Gasparilla Pirate Festival has since become an annual fixture in Tampa and models itself after Mardi Gras, with its krewes and floats. Eventually, Tampa became home to illegal lotteries and organized crime. Prohibition bootlegging only made things worse. Mafia power struggles ensued. Rampant corruption finally came to an end in the 1950s with the Kefauver Committees efforts to squelch organized crime.

World War II saw a lot of growth in Tampa. MacDill Field became a main base for the Army Air Forces, and there were several other auxiliary airfields in the area—two of which are now the major airports. The post-war era saw huge population growth. Major expansion of highways and bridges followed. Tourists flocked to Tampa, and new residents began populating Tampa neighborhoods. Next came tourist attractions like Busch Gardens and the 63-acre Lowry Park Zoo. Today, professional sports is a big part of the local economy, as are finance, retail, healthcare, insurance, air & sea shipping, military, tourism, and real estate. Fortune 1000 companies headquartered in the Tampa area include BloominBrands (Bonefish Grill, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Outback Steakhouse), WellCare, TECO Energy, and Raymond James Financial. According to a Pew Research Center study in 2009, Tampa ranks as the fifth most popular American city based on where people want to live. A 2004 Washington Square News survey ranked Tampa as a top city for "twenty-somethings." Forbes magazine recently put Tampa right near the top of their list of best cities for young entrepreneurs.