Dobyville, named for long-time resident Richard Cornelius Doby, was also known as West Hyde Park. By the 1920's, Dobyville was one of Tampa's primary African-American neighborhoods. The approximate historic boundaries went from Gray Street on the north to Horatio Street on the south and from Rome Avenue on the west to Willow Avenue on the east.
Doby, the grandfather of noted Hillsborough County educator Inez Doby, donated the land for Dobyville School, a segregated public school for African-Americans. The school, located at 407 S. Dakota Avenue, remained open until 1966. Several businesses and churches also served the area's residents.
After the zoning was changed in the 1950's to accommodate industrial uses and restrict the construction of new homes, the neighborhood's population north of Kennedy Boulevard declined. Construction of the South Crosstown Expressway, which opened in 1976, dealt a crushing blow to Dobyville. Many homes and businesses were demolished to clear the way for the road.
Although relatively few buildings remain from Dobyville's past, the neighborhood still is home to several long-time residents. Dobyville also lives in the hearts and memories of many of its former residents and their families.
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