Title: Before the pioneers Indians, settlers, slaves, and the founding of Miami /
Authors: Frank, Andrew K.
Year: 2017
Subjects: Indians of North America Florida Miami History.; Miami (Fla.) History.
Abstract: Formed seemingly out of steel, glass, and concrete, with millions of residents from around the globe, Miami has ancient roots that can be hard to imagine today. Before the Pioneers takes readers back through forgotten eras to the stories of the people who shaped the land along the Miami River long before most modern histories of the city begin. Andrew Frank begins the chronicle of the Magic City’s long history 4,000 years ago when Tequesta Indians settled at the mouth of the river, erecting burial mounds, ceremonial centers, and villages. They created a network of constructed and natural waterways through the Everglades and trade routes to the distant Calusa on the west coast. Centuries later, the area became a stopover for Spanish colonists on their way to Havana, a haven where they could shelter from storms and obtain freshwater, lumber, and other supplies.
Contents: Introduction: Miami's lost history -- Before the north bank -- The founders -- Spanish colonialism and the doctrine of discovery -- Gateway to the Caribbean -- Becoming southern -- the armed occupation of Fort Dallas.