This podcast episode is the first installment in a two-part series exploring the history of the Brickell family, who arrived along the banks of the Miami River in 1870. The series traces what brought the family to South Florida and examines the lasting influence they would have on the founding and development of the City of Miami.
William Brickell was regarded as a worldly adventurer and businessman who traveled extensively in pursuit of opportunity and fortune. During his travels in Australia, he met Mary Bulmer, whom he later married. By the time the couple settled on the south bank of the Miami River, they had six children, eventually expanding their family to eight while helping establish one of the region’s earliest pioneer homesteads.
From their riverside trading post, the Brickell family steadily acquired vast landholdings throughout South Florida. Part one of this series explores how the family came to the Miami River and how they built a powerful land empire at a time when the region remained a remote and sparsely populated frontier.
Tune into this week’s podcast episode to hear more about William, Mary, and the entire Brickell family. You can download this episode on your favorite podcast platform (iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Spotify) or listen directly on the Miami-History website. Please remember to click on the subscribe button and to provide a rating and comment on any of the platforms where this podcast episode is available.
Further Reading:
Book: “William & Mary Brickell” by Beth Brickell
Book: “Miami A Backward Glance” by Muriel Murrell
Book: “Miami: The Magic City” by Arva Moore Parks
