Happy International Women’s Day! I am so excited that this momentous day falls on a Friday because it’s time for the second edition of Strong Female Friday!
This week I would like to introduce Mrs. Julia DeForest Tuttle (a.k.a. “The Mother of Miami“). Julia Tuttle was born in Cleveland on January 22nd, 1849. She came into contact with South Florida on a visit to her father who had moved to the area and purchased a 40 acre orange grove. After Julia’s husband died, she permanently located to Bicayne Bay and purchased 640 acres of land on which the city of Miami currently sits.
Julia’s biggest contribution to Miami was her perseverance to bring the railroad—the new and innovative transportation system that would bring more business to the area. Julia worked hard to persuade Henry Flagler to extend his railroads to Miami and on April 22nd, 1896, the first train rode into Miami on the Florida East Coast Railway.
Julia Tuttle believed that Miami had the potential to become a great city, one that would be the center of trade between the U.S. and South America. It looks like she was right!
Watch this short video about the unveiling of the statue honoring this week’s Strong Female, and the only female founder of a major U.S. city.
Well, that’s all folks! See you here next week! Same place, same time!
-Shawna
[picture credit: http://www.nwhm.org/education-resources/biography/biographies/julia-tuttle/]