Julia Tuttle bought 640 acres near Miami when it was empty land. During a harsh winter that froze crops up the coast, she mailed fresh oranges to a railroad magnate to prove Miami never freezes. He extended the railroad there, and the city was incorporated in 1896.
This is the only city in America started by a woman. It's Miami City. This is her, and she did it with an orange. This is the story of Julia Tuttle.
I'm Julia, and I started Miami.
130 years ago, Julia came to Miami. It was empty. No residents, no skyscrapers, nothing. But she saw potential. She bought 640 acres of land near the Miami River, and she waited for the winter. The entire East Coast froze. Snow destroyed every crop from North Florida to New York and Boston.
Except Miami.
Perfect weather. Genius Julia picked fresh oranges and mailed them to the railroad tycoon with a simple message: Miami doesn't freeze.
Bring your railroad here.
The founder understood warm weather means tourism, farming, and trade. So he listened and built the railroad to reach Miami. In 1896, Miami officially became a city, and Julia died 2 years later. This is her tomb. She never saw the skyscrapers. She never saw millions of people moving here. But look around you. This entire city exists because one woman mailed a few oranges. That's one minute. See you tomorrow.
