Located in one of Tampa's oldest neighborhoods, North Hyde Park's history dates back to 1895 when it was established as an independent city called West Tampa. West Tampa's growth flourished as the connection from Downtown was created in the form of a bridge named after a freed slave turned entrepreneur, Fortune Taylor. Fortune Taylor acquired more than 30 acres near Downtown Tampa after the civil war where she started a successful business making and selling baked goods. in 1892, Hugh McFarlane, a lawyer and one of the founders of West Tampa, struck an agreement with Fortune Taylor to use a portion of her land to build a bridge that would connect West Tampa and Downtown. The bridge provided a key that unlocked that unlocked the possibilities for future development along the West side of the River.