The Saving of Our Local History Continues…

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By Seth H. Bramson

Before I share with our readers the latest two fortuitous and bordering on incredible finds and purchases, several related comments are in order.

As some of those who follow Mr. Berkwitt’s great website may know, I am America’s senior collector of Florida East Coast Railway, Florida transportation memorabilia, Miami memorabilia and Floridiana, this past May having begun my 61st year of collecting, as I like to say (and write) “all this junque.”

Our collections of Florida East Coast Railway and Florida transportation memorabilia are the largest in the world: they are larger than the state museum’s collection and larger than the Flagler Museum’s collection, in both cases, of like items, of course! However, and in addition, our collections of Miami memorabilia and Floridiana are the largest in private hands—private as opposed to the museums—in the country.

The above is noted because I must report that, while my relationship(s) with many—if not most—of the state’s historical societies and museums is superb, there are a very few (which are not worthy of being named) with which I have no rapport at all, that being mentioned because the loss—seriously—is theirs, and I truly think, feel and believe that the three examples of recent acquisitions shown below (two of which are as recent as being within the last two weeks!) points out how thoughtless and foolish those entities (again, they will not be named) are and have been, in essence denying themselves of the opportunity to avail themselves of a collection that is so massive, and of such depth and breadth in terms of its importance in and to Florida history that it is nationally renowned.

While I have been collecting (as noted above) for 61+ years, the continuing additions to The Bramson Archive are endless. Because of my fervency in saving the memorabilia, there are no few cases of no other items of the same type or kind which exist outside this collection, not because I bought them all and/or are hoarding them but because when the opportunity presented itself to SAVE the incredibly rare items (as referenced below) I did not pass up that chance to save local and state history.

In addition, and in some cases, the importance of, along with the sheer volume of items of a certain kind, type or genre make that particular part of The Bramson Archive the largest in the world in terms of that specific group.

There are several notable specific pieces or groups which should be mentioned before we delve into the three collections referred to above.

In addition to the collections of F E C Railway and Florida transportation memorabilia noted above, we call your attention to:

The largest collection of Henry M. Flagler signed letters in private hands in the country. Yes, in this case, the Flagler Museum does have more Flagler-signed letters than we do, but, and again, our Flagler-related ephemera collection (not paintings, furniture, rugs and the like) is far larger than theirs. Among the twelve letters signed by the single greatest and most important person in Florida history is the one dated December 27, 1895, addressed to the President of the Lehigh Valley Railroad in South Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

In that letter Mr. Flagler not only thanks the Lehigh Valley’s President for the pass which he sent Mr. Flagler for himself, car (private railroad car, not automobile) and party, but notes that the President should “make us a visit during the winter,” going on to state that “Fla. is very beautiful at this season of the year.” “But wait! There’s more!”

The most important part of the letter, however, is the paragraph in which Mr. Flagler writes (typed by a secretary, of course!) “I am extending the railroad to Biscayne Bay and expect it to be completed shortly, but, like any such enterprise, may be delayed by a few weeks.” (It was delayed longer, reaching the unincorporated village on the shores of Biscayne Bay and the banks of the Miami River on April 15, 1896.)

The only two known to exist in Dade County (verified by both History Miami and Miami-Dade Public Library Florida Collection) Julia Tuttle-signed letters (obvious: her letters were sent out of Dade County, hence there would be no reason for them to be “here;”) which came to me as part of the William Gleason (no relation to Jackie!) collection which I purchased several years ago and which we will discuss in the next issue.

An interesting side note here: At an event at PortMiami several years ago honoring Mr. Flagler, to which I was invited, the “speaker” (“oy, is dot a voice!”) was the queen bee. Before she spoke she came to my table, at which time I mentioned the letters and her rejoinder was, “well, the Flagler Museum has many,” to which I replied (with a smile, of course!), “yes, so-and-so (no names, please, we’re British!), but I said DADE COUNTY, not Palm Beach County,” and is her wont, she grimaced and walked off in a huff. “Bye, y’all!”

We have one Mary Brickell signed letter and one from the lady who was a teacher here in 1898 and for whom an elementary school is named but I am having a junior moment and can’t right now remember her name—the letter is on Dade County Board of Public Instruction stationery and is dated 1898.

Then there is the oldest known to exist piece of marked Miami memorabilia, the 1823 hand-written abstract for the 94,100 acres of Miami as well as the oldest piece of marked Dade County memorabilia, the 1878 Revenue Collectors book, all in a beautiful, purple hand-written format.
And to conclude this episode, two groups of items (there are many more, but just noting two for the moment) of great note: first, the largest collection of “restricted clientele” memorabilia in public or private hands in the country and the largest collection (now no “p. c.” nonsense here, so let’s not anybody pretend to be offended) of black/African-American memorabilia in white hands in the country. (Please note that I am not comparing myself to Miami’s Black Archive, simply with the disclaimer words noted above, “…in white hands…”)

We will be back with you shortly and will work on what we started this visit with, the three massive collections—including the William Gleason collection which we obtained several years ago—and the two collections which have come in within the last week. I think you will be fascinated learning about those.

Till then—and looking forward to meeting our most gracious host, Mr. Berkwitt and his beautiful lady, in person (Note: I did in fact meet them both over breakfast. Thus truly hitting it off and cementing a lifelong friendship)—with all good wishes and, hopefully I will have said next chapter to you before Thanksgiving.

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