Meet the Mothers of Miami’s History

March is a time to honor the women who’ve shaped history. Here in the 305, Miami’s story wouldn’t be complete without extraordinary female pioneers. Julia Tuttle, Mary Brickell, Isabella Peacock, and Flora McFarlane weren’t just witnesses to the city’s birth—they were its architects, ensuring its rise from a swampy wilderness to a true metropolis.

Aventura caught up with Paul George, resident historian at HistoryMiami Museum, to learn more about these leading ladies and their contributions to the Magic City. “They made Miami happen,” George says. “Without them, it wouldn’t have occurred until a good bit later. They were really important … true pioneers and accelerators. The cityhood and everything that has come after wouldn’t be the same without them.”

The Mother of Miami: Julia Tuttle

No discussion of Miami’s origins is complete without Julia Tuttle, famously known as the “Mother of Miami.” A savvy businesswoman, she saw beyond the wild mangroves and mosquitoes to a future teeming with potential. George says it was Tuttle who ultimately persuaded railroad tycoon Henry Flagler to extend the Florida East Coast Railway southward. When a brutal freeze devastated Florida’s citrus industry in 1894-1895, Tuttle sent Flagler fresh orange blossoms from her Miami River property as proof that Miami remained untouched by frost. A year later, in 1896, Miami was incorporated, becoming the only major U.S. city founded by a woman.

The Power Broker: Mary Brickell

Mary Brickell’s husband, William, was both a landowner and an entrepreneur. But make no mistake—Mary was the driving force behind much of the Brickell legacy. George says William often appeared scruffy in photos, primarily because he managed a trading post on the Miami River that attracted Seminoles and people in need of goods. While Julia Tuttle courted Flagler from the north side of the Miami River, the Brickells worked from the south, offering Flagler prime real estate to secure his railroad commitment. After William died, Mary took full control of their shared empire, shaping what is now their namesake: Brickell, Miami’s vibrant financial hub.

The Grove Guiders: Isabella Peacock & Flora McFarlane

Before Miami was even a dream, Coconut Grove was a thriving pioneer settlement, thanks to women like Isabella Peacock and Flora McFarlane. Peacock was instrumental in creating one of the first schools in the area (the Little Chapel in the Pines). At her namesake business, The Peacock Inn, she would run a Union Jack flag up the flagpole on Queen Victoria’s birthday, honoring her and her husband Charles’ British heritage. Meanwhile, Flora McFarlane, a trailblazing schoolteacher and environmentalist, worked tirelessly to bring education and community organization to the remote outpost. She is credited with creating the Woman’s Club of Coconut Grove and helping bring the first local church, St. Stephens, to life.