← Tales From South Florida: History of the People and Places That Shaped South Florida
Tales From South Florida: History of the People and Places That Shaped South Florida
Julia Tuttle and Eddie Rickenbacker: Pioneers of South Florida
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- [00:01]
A
I grew up in south Florida. I live in south Florida, and I love talking everything South Florida, its people, its places, its history. I'm Bill Monte, and I'm inviting you to take a talk down memory lane with me as I explore yet another of the many tales from south Florida.
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B
These are the tales from south Florida for you, host Bill Monte.
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A
Now, if you spent any time in Miami, chances are you've crossed the Julia Tuttle Causeway or driven over the Rickenbacker Causeway. Maybe you were heading to Miami Beach. Maybe you were on your way to Key Biscayne for a beach day. And maybe, like me, so often you were just stuck in traffic wondering why these roads carry such unusual names. And that's kind of the thing about some of the history down here in south Florida, right? We pass by reminders of the past every day, but we rarely stop to ask, who were these people? Why were they important? And what did they do that made Miami honor them in such a permanent way? Well, today I'm telling the story of two individuals whose names are attached to major Miami roadways, but whose personal stories. I think I've been forgotten. One of these people helped create Miami before it even existed. The other helped redefine Miami's image in the modern era. It's the story of two very different people connected by one thing. And without them, Miami would not be the city that it is today. Let's get started. Now. Let's begin in the late 1800s, before. Before Miami was Miami. This area, as you might guess, was mostly wilderness. I mean, it was mangroves and pine forests and lots of mosquitoes because there were lots of swamps. There are very few permanent residents. And it certainly was not viewed as a place where a major city could thrive and then enter one lady. Her name was Julia Tuttle. Julia was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1849 into a wealthy family. Her father had business success, and she grew up with access to education and to opportunities, something not all women had at that time. After marrying Frederick Tuttle and having children, Julia's life changed dramatically when her husband died. Widowed and determined, she made a bold decision and moved south. Way south. In 1891, Julia purchased land along the north bank of the Miami River. At that time, quite a remote frontier. Now, most people, especially the folks back home, they thought she was crazy. But Julia saw something that others did not. She believed that south Florida would become a major destination and city. And then came one of the most famous weather events in Florida history, the great freeze of 1894 and 1895, a freeze that devastated much of Florida's citrus industry. Orange groves throughout the state were destroyed, but not in Miami, because Miami's tropical climate protected crops from freezing temperatures. This might be a good time to kind of take a break and direct you to a past episode. I'll link it in the show notes. It's called Henry Flagler and the Train that Built Florida. Now, Flagler had already transformed places like St. Augustine and Palm beach through rail expansion and luxury hotels. And in that episode, I do go into more detail about how the freeze that year affected Flagler and how he'd begun thinking of stopping the expansion of his railroad past Palm Beach. But Julia Tuttle, she was very interested in Henry's orange blossom special and suspected, no, I would say she knew that she needed his train, his dream to continue her burgeoning settlement. Reportedly, she sent fresh orange blossoms to Henry Flagler on several occasions to prove to him that Miami had been spared from the freeze. While he wasn't convinced at first, Julia was relentless. Reached out to him and begged him, cajoled him, and convinced him to extend the Florida East Coast Railway further south. And what do you know? Henry agreed. And that changed everything. The railroad arrived in 1896, and Miami was officially incorporated that same year. After all of that, Julia Tuttle became known forever as the mother of Miami. And you want to hear something really interesting, Something that even longtime residents may not know? Julia Tuttle remains the only woman credited with founding a major American city. Yeah, that's kind of cool. Just think about that. At a time when women couldn't even vote, Julia Tuttle helped create one of America's most iconic cities. Sadly, she did not live long enough to see Miami become the global destination that it is today. She died in 1898 at only 49 years old. But her vision, that changed South Florida forever. And today, thousands of drivers cross the Julia Tuttle Causeway. But do they even know the story behind the name? I wonder how many of them realize they're traveling over a monument to. To one of Miami's true pioneers. Well, my friends, now you know. So spread the word. I think we owe Julia Tuttle that small favor. Now, let's fast forward a few decades. Miami has been born, but now it needs reinvention. Enter Eddie Rickenbacker. Now, if Julia Tuttle helped create Miami, then it can be said that Eddie Rickenbacker helped modernize it and his life. Well, it sounds like something straight out of a Hollywood movie. And you know what? That's because they made a Hollywood movie about his life back in 1945. It starred Fred McMurray. Before becoming associated with Miami, Rickenbacker was already a national hero. He was America's top flying ace during World War I. Kind of like Snoopy and the Red Baron, right? He shot down in World War I, 26 enemy aircraft. He earned the Medal of Honor. He became one of the most celebrated pilots in American history. But his accomplishments did not stop there. Before aviation fame, Eddie Rickenbacker, he was involved in auto racing, and after the war, he became an entrepreneur. And eventually he purchased a little airplane company that was called Eastern Airlines. Ever hear of it? Yeah, a lot of you have. And that's where Miami enters the story. Under Eddie's leadership, Eastern Airlines made Miami a critical aviation hub. As commercial air travel exploded in the mid 20th century, Miami became a gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean. And that role helped transform the city into an international powerhouse. Yeah, Flagler's train was one way people came to Miami. But Eddie Rickenbacker opened the skies for thousands and then millions. And if you're still not sure where you've heard the name before in your everyday life, let me just say three. The Rickenbacker Causeway. Now, it was originally called the Key Biscayne Causeway. It opened back in 1947 and connected mainland Miami to Key Biscayne. And it opened up enormous development opportunities. Eventually, the road was renamed in his honor due to his role in promoting aviation and South Florida growth. And think about what that causeway did. It helped unlock access to Key Biscayne, Crandon park, and for many of us, that means being able to get to their famous little zoo back in the day. Also build Bagg's Cape, Florida State Park. It eventually became the route that many visitors used to reach the Miami Seaquarium and Virginia Key attractions. Eddie, Rick and Bakker represented a different era of Miami growth. Not frontier survival, but modernization. Transportation, tourism, global expansion. He helped Miami become connected to the world. Now, what ties these two together? Well, Julia Tuttle and Eddie Rickenbacker were very different people, as you may have guessed. I mean, one was a widowed landowner with a vision. The other was a war hero and aviation entrepreneur. But both understood something essential. Transportation drives growth. Julia, along with Henry Flagler, brought the railroads. Eddie expanded air travel and roadway access. Both changed Miami forever by making it easier for people to get here. Isn't that really the story of South Florida? Growth often comes down to one simple question. How do we bring people here? Well, friends, just think about it again. Railroads, roads, airports, and cruise ships. That question, how do we bring people here helped shape modern South Florida. And Julia Tuttle and Eddie Rickenbacker are two of the individuals who helped to answer that question. Yet most people only know their names from road signs. But now you know the stories behind those names. And that's what this podcast, Tales from South Florida, is all about. Remembering the people that history quietly tucked away. I'll be right back with another Florida fun fact right after this message from a good friend of mine.
- [10:50]
C
Hey, welcome to Living the Next Chapter. It's a podcast for authors hosted by myself, Dave. And the unique thing about this show is as the host of the Living the Next Chapter, I'm not an author. So come join me as we talk to great authors, hear about their journey about writing and sharing their story focused on you, the reader, so that you get the best out of the conversation and fall in love with the next favorite author. Livingthenextchapter.com is the best place to find us. Come and check out the show. Over 600 episodes in three years. There's a lot of great authors and we'd love for you to come and listen. Livingthenextchapter.com.
- [11:39]
A
Now here's a fun fact that you may not know about. Julia Tuttle. I kind of mentioned this before, but when Miami Incorporated in 1896, there were only 368 men who were allowed to vote because women still did not have voting rights. That means the woman most responsible for creating Miami wasn't even allowed to vote in the city's first election. Talk about irony. Hey, thank you for taking this talk down memory lane with me. If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe so that you're notified when new episodes become available. You can, like share comment. I'd sure appreciate that because that helps this podcast reach more listeners like you, listeners who enjoy stories about Florida's fascinating past. And don't Forget, please visit talesfromsouthflorida.com for more episodes, the Spotify playlist, links to our YouTube channels, and so much more. Until next time, my friends, this is Bill Monti. Remember, be safe and be kind.
- [12:54]
B
Let's take a talk down memory lane. Cause the stories around here are just insane. Pirates, World, the Sporto, and Wolfies too. Palm beach, the Key west, that's where we grew. These are the tales from South Florida for you with your host, Bill Monte.
- [13:24]
A
Hello friends, Bill Monte here. And I'm inviting you to join me on the podcast Bill Monte's Guide for Getting Older. Now, this is not a podcast about being old. No, it's about understanding the world we're growing older in. How we care for each other, how we protect what we've built, and how we make sense of the systems that are supposed to look out for us, especially when we need them the most. Bill Monte's Guide for Getting Older. It is available wherever fine podcasts can be found, and I look forward to talking with you soon.