Ocala in Marion County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Marti City
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 8, 2022
1. Marti City Marker
Marti City, the center of Ocala’s tobacco industry, was a Cuban community of cigar makers, located 2 miles S.S.W. of this park. The Cubans worked with tobacco leaves that came from Cuba to Ocala through Jacksonville.
Twenty cigar factories were located in this area at different times from 1889 to 1906, 13 of them in Marti City.
Named after Jose Marti, the apostle of Cuba’s independence from Spain, Marti City was a vibrant and prosperous, but brief piece of Ocala history.
by the Cubans of Marti City
and the ones that came thereafter.
May 1993
Erected 1993 by Cubans of Marti City.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Immigration • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1889.
Location. 29° 11.413′ N, 82° 7.923′ W. Marker is in Ocala, Florida, in Marion County. Marker can be reached from Northeast 3rd Street just west of Northeast Sanchez Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located in the southeast corner of Tuscawilla Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 829 Northeast Sanchez Avenue, Ocala FL 34470, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Union Train Station (approx. ¼ mile away);
this page online
Also see . . .
1. Marti City Historical Area.
During the late nineteenth century, a Cuban community flourished near the downtown area of Ocala, Florida. Known as "Marti City", the community was made up of skilled cigar factory workers who worked in several cigar factories adjacent to the area. These factories played a large part in the economy of Marion County during the 1890s. But as the cigar industry changed in the later part of the decade many of the factories closed, and the Cuban community dispersed.(Submitted on December 8, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. José Martí.
José Julián Martí Pérez (1853-1895) was a Cuban nationalist, poet,(Submitted on December 8, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)philosopher, essayist, journalist, translator, professor, and publisher, who is considered a Cuban national hero because of his role in the liberation of his country from Spain. He traveled extensively in Spain, Latin America, and the United States, raising awareness and support for the cause of Cuban independence. His unification of the Cuban émigré community, particularly in Florida, was crucial to the success of the Cuban War of Independence against Spain.Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 8, 20222. Marti City Marker(looking east through Tuscawilla Park • marker is mounted on top of brick pedestal • Northeast Sanchez Avenue in background)
Credits. This page was last revised on September 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 7, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 283 times since then and 69 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 8, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
