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The story of Armenia Avenue in Tampa, Florida
by George Kamajian
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2013-04-08-the-story-of-armenia-avenue-in-tampa-florida
Published: Monday April 08, 2013
Armenia Avenue runs through downtown Tampa.
Florida, our nation's third largest state, has long been
underrepresented when it comes to organized Armenians. Sure, there has
been Hye's basking in the sunshine state for years. The traditional 95
corridor from Boston to Miami sprouted numerous colonies of Armenians
from Jacksonville to Ft Lauderdale.
Churches soon followed in Miami and Boca with a smattering of a few
mission parishes when the Armenian populations were deemed too small
to support a church. Although Armenians have made their presence known
in Florida business and sports (think Garo Yepremian from the
undefeated Miami Dolphins) for years, their numbers are still anemic
when compared to Philly, Boston or Detroit.
When the Western part of the state opened up with Interstate 75 a
funny thing happened. There was an Armenian imprint in Tampa that went
beyond anything their brothers and sisters could brag about up north.
There, in the middle of downtown Tampa was the landmark Armenia Avenue
with a sign as big as any on Interstate 75. A familiar name welcomed
weary tourist from up north. How? Who was this powerful, rich or
politically connected Armenian that made this happen?
Unfortunately, according to the local historical society Armenia has
nothing to do with the name of a road in Tampa.
"Armenia Avenue was actually originally called Armina Avenue," said
Rodney Kite-Powell, the curator of history at the Tampa Bay History
Center. Kite-Powell says cigar factories used to line this avenue.
There are a lot of streets named after the cigar factories that they
were near," Kite-Powell explained. "And so, the Armina cigar factory
was right along Armenia -- or Armina -- Avenue."
So how'd we get from A-r-m-i-n-a to A-r-m-e-n-i-a?
"Somewhere along the line, either a sign painter messed up, or
somebody just kept consistently messing up the pronunciation, and
Armina became Armenia," Kite-Powell said.
Now for the good news....it's going to stay Armenia avenue forever.
Editor's note: For a video report on the topic go to
http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=134700
by George Kamajian
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2013-04-08-the-story-of-armenia-avenue-in-tampa-florida
Published: Monday April 08, 2013
Armenia Avenue runs through downtown Tampa.
Florida, our nation's third largest state, has long been
underrepresented when it comes to organized Armenians. Sure, there has
been Hye's basking in the sunshine state for years. The traditional 95
corridor from Boston to Miami sprouted numerous colonies of Armenians
from Jacksonville to Ft Lauderdale.
Churches soon followed in Miami and Boca with a smattering of a few
mission parishes when the Armenian populations were deemed too small
to support a church. Although Armenians have made their presence known
in Florida business and sports (think Garo Yepremian from the
undefeated Miami Dolphins) for years, their numbers are still anemic
when compared to Philly, Boston or Detroit.
When the Western part of the state opened up with Interstate 75 a
funny thing happened. There was an Armenian imprint in Tampa that went
beyond anything their brothers and sisters could brag about up north.
There, in the middle of downtown Tampa was the landmark Armenia Avenue
with a sign as big as any on Interstate 75. A familiar name welcomed
weary tourist from up north. How? Who was this powerful, rich or
politically connected Armenian that made this happen?
Unfortunately, according to the local historical society Armenia has
nothing to do with the name of a road in Tampa.
"Armenia Avenue was actually originally called Armina Avenue," said
Rodney Kite-Powell, the curator of history at the Tampa Bay History
Center. Kite-Powell says cigar factories used to line this avenue.
There are a lot of streets named after the cigar factories that they
were near," Kite-Powell explained. "And so, the Armina cigar factory
was right along Armenia -- or Armina -- Avenue."
So how'd we get from A-r-m-i-n-a to A-r-m-e-n-i-a?
"Somewhere along the line, either a sign painter messed up, or
somebody just kept consistently messing up the pronunciation, and
Armina became Armenia," Kite-Powell said.
Now for the good news....it's going to stay Armenia avenue forever.
Editor's note: For a video report on the topic go to
http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=134700