Havana

Havana: An Homage To The Past

Havana is one of the six major towns in Gadsden County. The city was once part of the most prominent shade tobacco operations in the United States, contributing 95% of the nation’s shade tobacco. Today, the Tobacco Shade Museum in downtown Havana pays homage to those who worked under the grueling conditions on shade tobacco farms and the industry’s historical impact on Gadsden County.

With the move away from agriculture, more Black-owned commercial enterprises are moving into the city, such as Vickey’s, a restaurant and food truck service. Thanks to the support of the community, businesses like Vickey’s were able to weather the recent pandemic and even grow their footprint. This supportive nature also kept major celebrations ongoing and allowed the city to expand its hosting ability. Besides the annual Pumpkin Festival, the semiannual Reggae Festival is also hosted at the nearby 5F Farm since it has outgrown the available space neighboring Quincy could provide. Today the city continues to function as a gathering place for celebrations and economic growth.