Centro Asturiano was formed in 1902 in Ybor City by a number of members of Centro Espa ol Club who wished to form their own club. Centro Asturiano was a mutual aid society formed by a combination of Spaniards, Cubans, and Italians to provide social assistance for the community in the form of medical care, continuing education, and fund-raising in emergencies. The club and its members played a vital part in the social, economic, and cultural development of the area. The collection consists of more than 700 bound volumes including records of membership, finances, official minutes, the cemetery, the hospital and the theater. Membership records explain who the members were, where they were born, and what their occupation was.
Hospital records show how the first system of socialized medicine in the U.S. operated.
The collection also gives information about the their Spanish-language theater, including playbills and photographs of famous performers as well as musical scores. The club's actions in local and national events are chronicled as well. Over 300 photographs chronicle more than 80 years of social activities of the club. The collection was donated by the Centro Asturiano organization in 1988. Centro Espa ol de Tampa Collection.