Tampa originated as a fort. President James Monroe approved a military post be built in 1823 at Hillsborough Bay, and by 1824 Fort Brooke was completed. The peninsular Tampa area of South Tampa has had a military presence ever since. In 1898, during the Spanish-American War, Tampa was a major staging ground for 30,000 of Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough riders, who were preparing to invade Cuba. Today, MacDill Air Force Base sits at the tip of the Interbay Peninsula, eight miles from Downtown Tampa. We thank those who serve our Country.