The Twig That Changed Florida

Julia Tuttle spent the early 1890s trying to convince Henry Flagler to bring his Florida East Coast Railway farther south. She owned 640 acres along the north bank of the Miami River and believed the area had the potential to grow, but Flagler kept turning her down.

That changed after the brutal freezes of 1894 and 1895 wiped out citrus crops across most of Florida. While groves across the state were damaged, Tuttle’s trees survived. She sent Flagler a twig of fresh leaves and blossoms to prove it, along with a renewed offer: she would give him half her land if he extended the railroad to Miami, built a hotel, and laid out streets for a future city.

Flagler agreed. On April 15, 1896, the first train pulled into Miami on the new tracks. Witnesses described the old wood-burning engine chugging in with its bell ringing and whistle echoing across the river. The train carried mail, baggage, passengers, and the lumber needed to build a new community.

Henry Flagler’s Royal Palm Hotel was completed and ready for guests the winter after the railroad arrived. It became one of the earliest major landmarks in the young city and helped cement Miami’s identity as a new resort destination. Growth followed quickly. Miami’s population jumped from just 260 people in 1895 to more than 1,600 by 1900.