Westshore in Tampa in Hillsborough County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
The Claxton Manor
Photographed by Tim Fillmon, May 20, 2026
1. The Claxton Manor Marker
Hotel and motel accommodations were difficult to find for Black travelers in the segregated South. Boarding houses and private residences often filled those needs. but several Black entrepreneurs also opened and operated hotels and motels for tourists with a little more money to spend. One of those businessmen was Leon Claxton. owner of the incredibly popular traveling show known as Harlem in Havana. In 1965, Claxton opened the Claxton Manor Motel at this site along Cypress Street, adjacent to the newly constructed Interstate 4 (now Interstate-275). Claxton traveled extensively for his business, and he was very aware of the limited overnight lodging available for Blacks in the South. even for those with means. Though opening at the end of the segregation era. Claxton Manor was an important part of not just Tampa's Black community but for those traveling to the area. Boosted with the opening of the new Tampa International Airport in 1971, Claxton Manor became a victim of its successful location and was torn down to make way for a larger building in the 1980s.
Erected 2026 by City of Tampa, Hillsborough County Historical Advisory Council.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Entertainment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1965.
Location.
this page online
Regionally, this marker is on Florida’s Tampa Bay. It is also in the American South and on the Gulf Coast. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Carver City-Lincoln Gardens (approx. 0.8 miles away); Memorial Highway (approx. 0.9 miles away); Hillsborough County World War I War Dead Memorial (approx. 0.9 miles away); George Guida (approx. 1.3 miles away); West Tampa Centennial (approx. 1.3 miles away); William Benton Henderson (approx. 1.4 miles away); Hugh C. Macfarlane (approx. 1½ miles away); Congregation Schaari Zedek (approx. 1½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tampa.
Also see . . . Harlem in Havana Project. Photos of motel and Leon D. Claxton Sr (Submitted on May 29, 2026, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida.)
Photographed by Tim Fillmon, May 20, 2026
2. The Claxton Manor Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on May 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 29, 2026, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 29, 2026, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida.
