A noted American historian will head to Goulburn in September to continue research about a one-time resident who may have been instrumental to the founding of Miami.
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History Goulburn will welcome Cesar A. Becerra for a talk at the Goulburn Club from 2.00pm on September 11.
His focus is Australian and one-time Goulburn resident Mary Bricknell, dubbed the unrecognised "Mother of Miami".
In his new book, 'Orange Blossom 2.0', born out of a 2019 trip to Australia, he has amassed documented proof that Mary Bulmer Brickell could very well be the most marginalized female founder in Miami history.
Mary married American William Bricknell after meeting in Albury during the mid-19th century. They moved back to his native country and invested money in land that eventually became Miami proper.
Its pages seek to deconstruct how Miami's origin story instead became romanticized and simplified down to a single legend concerning orange blossoms, the will of Julia Tuttle, and a railroad magnate named Henry Flagler.
Ultimately it asks why Mary Brickell's significant influence was literally written out of the history books.
Come listen and chat with Cesar about the hidden history he has been uncovering for the past two decades. Brickell's formative years in Goulburn and Albury may be of interest to local historians and it's hoped discussions with Goulburn residents may lead to new leads, if not just a few laughs.
Hailing from South Florida, he has been chronicling and sharing the stories of the region for two decades. He is the author of half a dozen research based historical books and served as publisher of The Everglade Magazine, an award winning publication printed during Everglades National Park's 50th anniversary.
Always keen to "meet the locals" and strike up a conversation, Becerra has a penchant for hidden history and knows no boundaries or distances when it comes to searching for it.
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