The Riverwalk in Tampa provides a scenic pathway along the waterfront, perfect for a leisurely stroll or run, and features monuments honoring influential figures like entrepreneur Henry Bradley Plant (1819-1899,) whose Plant System revolutionized transportation in Florida and shaped its economic landscape. His plaque reads,

Henry Plant changed the economics and image of Tampa forever with his Plant System of railroads, steamships, and hotels. After the Civil War, Plant helped rebuild the railroad system throughout the South. He purchased financially troubled railroads and laid new lines, creating a transportation empire that stretched into Florida. On January 22, 1884, the Plant System of railways reached Tampa. Plant extended the line to Port Tampa City and developed the port as a major deepwater shipping hub. In 1898, it was the U.S. Army’s port of embarkation during the Spanish-American War. Plant’s railroads and steamships made it easier for Florida’s products to reach distant markets. Tampa became the most important terminus for passengers and cargo on Florida’s west coast. Of Plant’s eight hotels, two survive: the Tampa Bay Hotel and the Belleview in Belleair. Dignitaries from around the world thronged to Tampa for the hotel’s grand opening in 1891 and visited until 1932. Today it is home to the University of Tampa and the Henry B. Plant Museum. Directly across the river, the Hotel Minarets are one of Tampa’s premier architectural icons.