While recently visiting the Freedom Tower, I couldn't help but notice an eleven-foot-tall bronze…read moresculpture of a boy on crutches carrying a house on his back. Curious, I set out to learn more about it. The piece, by Cuban artist Enrique Martínez Celaya, is titled Tower of Snow. His inspiration came from his own exodus from Cuba as a child and from Operation Pedro Pan. During Operation Pedro Pan, more than 14,000 Cuban children were secretly sent to the United States between 1960 and 1962 by parents amid fears sparked by the 1959 Cuban Revolution. Many of the children were sheltered at Camp Matecumbe and Camp Kendall. Enrique Martínez Celaya channeled the feelings of loss, hope, and the search for a new identity into the piece. Tower of Snow was erected in 2012 during the 50th anniversary of Operation Pedro Pan, and it is part of the Miami Dade College Permanent Art Collection. The figure of the boy appears to be walking toward the Freedom Tower, nicknamed the "Ellis Island of the South." The Freedom Tower was home to the Cuban Assistance Center, where thousands of Cuban refugees were processed and welcomed from 1962 to 1974. Both Tower of Snow and the Freedom Tower represent Miami's strong ties to Cuba.

An All-Veterans memorial is located in the compound shared by the Hollywood City Hall and the…read moreHollywood Branch Library. Flags from multiple divisions of the United States military including POW and the American flag are displayed high above the memorial. A portion of the memorial has a dark sculpture depicting a soldier's boots, helmet and assault weapon or "The Battlefield Cross" which represents all of the fallen soldiers who died in combat. The base of the sculpture includes the phrase "All Gave Some, Some Gave All".  The center memorial is "The Forgotten War Korea" 1950 - 1953. The bronze plaque indicates the amount of soldiers Dead, Wounded or MIA and a map of the Korean peninsula. On the outer edge of the memorial is a plaque dedicated on Memorial Day 1983 from Hollywood residents honoring veterans from WW1, WW2, Korea and Vietnam. In my opinion, the plaques need a touch up since the lettering is worn out and difficult to read. Free memorial to view and a nice piece of history.

Bayfront Park in downtown Miami is more than just your typical park. It is also a culturally…read moreimportant outdoor museum, with art and monuments that add beauty and historical perspective. One of my favorite statues in the park, next to the children's playground, is that of Julia Tuttle (January 22, 1849 - September 14, 1898), who is known as the Mother of Miami. She was the only woman to have founded a major American city. This statue of her was dedicated on July 28, 2010, on Miami's 114th birthday. Julia Tuttle relocated from Cleveland to Fort Dallas, now known as Miami, in 1891. She arrived as a widow with two children to claim land that had been left to her by her parents as an inheritance. She purchased 640 acres on the north side of the Miami River for her home. Where others saw only swampland and a few orange groves, Julia saw the potential to turn the land into a city, but she knew that a railroad would be necessary for development. Julia Tuttle convinced railroad magnate and industrialist Henry Flagler to extend his railroad to Miami by offering him half of her land, 320 acres on the north bank of the Miami River. This, combined with an additional 100 acres for a hotel and railroad terminal, sealed the deal. Legend has it that Julia sent Henry a bouquet of orange blossoms during the severe winter freeze of 1894-1895 to show that Miami was frost free. While the flowers make for a great story, it was really her business acumen that brought the railroad to South Florida. On April 22, 1896, the Florida East Coast Railway train service came to the area. A few months later, on July 28, male residents voted to incorporate a new city: Miami. Ironically, it was a vote that Julia, as a woman, was not allowed to participate in. Julia was instrumental in establishing early infrastructure, including setting up the town's first laundry, bakery, and dairy. She passed away in 1898 at the young age of 49 from meningitis. She is buried in the City of Miami Cemetery. The project to commemorate Julia Tuttle began in 1996 through the efforts of the Miami Commission on the Status of Women. It took 14 years, along with joint efforts from the Miami-Dade County Commission for Women, to raise the necessary funds. Artists Eugene Daub and Rob Firmin were chosen to create the 10-foot-tall bronze statue. Julia is depicted looking toward the horizon and the future while holding a basket of oranges in one hand and an orange blossom in the other. Her skirt is adorned with symbols of Miami's history, including images of local flora and fauna, the train that connected Miami to Florida, Tuttle shaking Flagler's hand, and the Native Americans and African Americans who were among the area's first settlers. This is a sculpture that requires you to stop for a few minutes and truly look at it to appreciate its full impact. Julia Tuttle was both a savvy businesswoman and a landowner, which was quite a remarkable achievement for a woman of her era. Her vision and foresight left a legacy in Miami that can still be felt today.

Come see what Julia Tuttle looked like. We all have a lot to thank her for. who is she though?…read moreJulia DeForest Sturtevant Tuttle, A landowner who was key to the development of Miami, Julia Tuttle was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She married in 1871, bore two children, and visited Miami for the first time in 1875. After her husband's death in 1891, she moved there permanently. Tuttle bought a square mile of land at the mouth of the Miami River, more than half of which she donated to induce others to settle there. She convinced rail executive Henry Flagler to extend train service from Palm Beach to Miami by sending him orange blossoms during the great freeze of 1894-95 after the orchards further north had frozen. Known as 'the Mother of Miami,' Julia Tuttle died there at age 50, two years after the railroad arrived. 'It is the dream of my life,' she had written, 'to see this wilderness turned into a prosperous country.'

While visiting the Miami Circle, arguably one of the most important archaeological finds in North…read moreAmerica, I first came across this sculpture called the Pillar of History, located mid-span on the Brickell Avenue Bridge where the Miami River meets Biscayne Bay. Miami is built on land first inhabited by the Tequesta nearly 2,500 years ago. The Tequesta were an Indigenous people who inhabited southeast Florida from Boca Raton to Key West, as well as the Everglades. They lived on fish, shellfish, berries, and small game, and were well adapted to the environment of South Florida. They thrived for nearly 2,000 years until they became victims of war and disease brought by Europeans in the 1500s. The prevailing theory is that the site of the circle was used by the Tequesta and may have served as the location of a council house. Many artifacts, including shell tools, stone axe heads, and human teeth, have been found at the site. The Pillar of History, created by Cuban artist Manuel Carbonell, memorializes Miami's first people, the Tequesta. It was commissioned by the Florida Department of Transportation and marked the department's first effort to integrate public art into a bridge design. The piece was installed in 1995 during the reconstruction of the Brickell Avenue Bridge and remains one of Florida's largest bronze monuments. The base features 16 bronze bas-reliefs honoring Miami's early pioneers, including Henry Flagler, D. A. Dorsey, William Brickell, Mary Brickell, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, and Julia Tuttle. There are also 12 bronze bas-reliefs of local wildlife adorning the base of the flagpoles. The 36-foot-tall column consists of 158 figures that narrate the history of the Tequesta people. At the top of the column is a sculpture titled "Tequesta Family." It portrays a Tequesta warrior aiming an arrow toward the sky, searching for his place in eternity. Beside him is his wife, searching for a better life, while their son covers his face with his hands, aware of his people's inevitable extinction. The Brickell Avenue Bridge symbolically connects Miami's earliest inhabitants, the Tequesta, to its earliest pioneers, such as the Brickell family, for whom the area is named. As someone with an ardent passion for both art and history, the Pillar of History is one of my favorite public art sculptures in Miami. Now I look forward to seeing it every time I cross the bridge.

Today we stopped to observe this special monument built in 1960, to emphasize the Torch of…read moreFriendship that was built to signify the passageway for immigrants coming from Latin America and the Caribbean to Florida. Sixty-five years later, we are observing a different climate between the nations due to current deportations performed in the US. We need to remember that we are all immigrants here and that next year the United States will celebrate its 250th birthday! In 1964 it was re-dedicated to the memory of President John F. Kennedy. He said "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country". Located at Bayside Park on Biscayne Blvd in downtown Miami in the northwest corner.

The Torch of Friendship monument is located at the northwest corner of Biscayne Blvd in front of…read moreBayfront Park. The idea of a memorial celebrating the immigrants of Latin American countries came from city manager Melvin L.Reese and mayor Robert King. The Miami City Commission agreed it was a good idea and arranged for it's construction. Thousands of refugees were fleeing from Cuba and Fidel Castro and the commissioners wanted Miami to stand as more than a geographical entrance into America. They wanted Miami to stand as beacon for the hope for a better life. Through the years the torch has been a popular place to stage demonstrations. Protests held here have been against Castro, for civil rights, against the Vietnam War, and for free speech. The monument was created serve the same purpose as Lady Liberty in New York, a welcome to immigrants coming to America's shores. The monument was conceived as a perpetually lit torch secured to a 18 foot high pillar surrounded by a patio and wall that contains the seals of each Latin American country. Statues of Simon Bolivar and Juan Ponce de Leon stand guard off to the side. The monument was dedicated in 1960 as a symbol of welcome for immigrants coming from Latin America and the Caribbean. In 1964 it was re-dedicated to the memory of the American president John F. Kennedy after his assassination. Kennedy had given a speech in Miami in 1960 praising the construction of the torch. The torch is currently unlit since at least November of 2019. The internal machinery that keeps the 2 foot high gas flame running needs to be replaced. Like fountains that are allowed to run dry in Miami, the Torch of Friendship has suffered from neglect. Five stars for this monument and what it stands for but one star to the City of Miami for letting the torch go out.

There is such a sad story attached to this place and also one of hope and love. In April of 2018,…read morethe Miami-Dade Medical Examiner Department named this cemetery after Dr. Bruce A. Hyme who led the MDME for 15 years, which is Florida's largest and busiest medical examiners office. During his career he presided over more than 30,000 autopsies before passing away from cancer in April of 2016. The cemetery is adjacent to Miami-Dade Fire Station #13. The land was purchased by the county for $10 in 1925. Since then it has served as the final resting place for the indigent and unidentified deceased persons of Miami Dade County. Over 40,000 people have their final resting place here, either buried or as scattered ashes. It is hard to even wrap my mind around 40,000 people who didn't have anyone to claim their bodies. This sadness also weighed heavily on Dr. Hyma and during his tenure as Medical Examiner he worked on a project to beautify the cemetery to give these people a final resting place of dignity and respect. During the dedication of the cemetery Darren Caprara, Director of Operations, for the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner Department said of Dr. Bruce Hyma that he "was an inspirational leader and an remarkable forensic pathologist, however he will be best remembered for his compassionate and caring demeanor. It is truly fitting that his name will be forever associated with the County cemetery, a place where thousands without family were given a compassionate and dignified final resting place." The cemetery can be opened for loved ones who may find out later that their person was interred here. Before the beautification project the lot was overgrown with weeds. Now when people come there are wide pathways, shade trees, and benches. It looks very peaceful. If you didn't know it was a cemetery you might think it was just an empty field. If you look closer at the ground there are some stone markers with numbers carved into them. At the back of the cemetery is a Veterans memorial and a fountain with a scatter garden. On the ground is the calcium deposits left from the cremated remains of over 6,000 people that have been sprinkled there since 1994. Volunteers planted flowers and cleaned up the area, dedicating the scatter garden in 2015. Dr. Hyma was present at the dedication before he passed away the next year. I love how compassionate people came together, veterans, volunteers, and members of different agencies so that a neglected area could be turned into a peaceful place where people who did not much dignity in life could at least have it in death.

While walking through Bayfront Park in Miami, I found a Peace Pole next to the Dade County War…read moreMemorial. I am familiar with them, having once found one at the Wellington Rotary Peace Park. A Peace Pole has eight sides and is made of aluminum, with the words "May Peace Prevail on Earth" written in different languages on each side. They are often placed in parks to promote harmony. There is an interactive map online at the Peace Pole Project that shows where other Peace Poles are located within your community. It is amazing to see how many there are all over the world. It is estimated that over 200,000 have been placed on every continent on Earth. The Bayfront Park Peace Pole was donated by Office Depot. I always love discovering a Peace Pole. I see them as a symbol of hope, unity, and a shared commitment to peace within the community.

Monument Island was created as a perfectly round man made island. Through the years erosion…read moreespecially by Hurricane Wilma has resulted in a more oblong shape. A 110-foot obelisk surrounded by figures that was created as a memorial to Henry Flagler who died in 1913 is at the center of the island. Flagler was the most influential man in Florida's history because he brought the railroad which enabled Florida to be developed. The island is an uninhabited and is accessible only by boat. Surrounding the island are the homes on Star Island, Palm Island, and the Venetian Islands where the rich and famous live behind their locked gates. The east side of the island has rocks and the west side is a beach. The monument to Flagler was sculpted by H.P. Peterson and paid for by real estate developer Carl Fisher. Fisher built a street car connection to Flagler's railroad so he could develop the area he named Miami Beach. The monument has four figures sitting in the four cardinal directions. Each one represents a different part of Miami Beach. Due North is a man in a Roman toga who represents industry. He holds a scroll, a building, and a train in to represent Flagler's railroad. The east female figure representing education holds out one hand in welcome while the other one holds book. The southern figure of a sailor representing pioneer has one hand shielding his face from the sun while the other one holds a shovel. To the west is a female figure holding a cornucopia and a purse representing prosperity. The island has been victim to vandalizing and disrepair from the harsh elements. Parts of the island are covered in trash. In 2011 a porn film was even made on the island. Some of the figures on the monument have areas that are falling apart. It is sad to see such a historical monument neglected in such a way. One hope that Miami Beach would honor both Henry Flagler and Carl Fisher by taking care of the island. I only viewed the island from a bridge. If you don't own a mega yacht like the islands celebrity neighbors Ricky Martin and Gloria Estefan you can rent a kayak from Maurice Gibb park. From there it is about a 15 minute paddle out.

I lived in Miami my whole life and always heard stories about the mysterious "monument island"…read more Urban legend has it that on Sundays this place turns into a scene straight out of a reggaeton video! However on a Wednesday afternoon, on the verge of a storm this place looked more like the island in lost - surrounded by multi-million dollar homes. Sure enough some knuckleheads showed up in jetskis to crash the party. I joked they were pirates - and sure enough one of them was interested in some "booty". He sat down on a cooler and his girlfriend sat down in his lap, grinding it out....stay classy Miami. Did I mention the pirates showed up on a TOWED jetski? Yes, one of them didn't work so they strapped it up to the one that did and towed it back out............................WHAT?! Regardless this is a cool spot to come if you have jetskis and just hang out. Granted midday on a weekday is HIGHLY advised as it gets super crazy on the weekends. Also, watch out for the jelly fish. One of my co-workers found one near the shore and scooped it up with a paddle...the thing was the size of a large Papa John's Pizza. We didn't venture into the middle as it began pouring (then REALLY looked like the island on lost) but I hear it's cool to check out. I might be back.... THE ISLAND ISN'T DONE WITH ME!