Twice Again, The Miami Herald Strikes A Blow For The Complete Disregard of Local Historical Truths and Facts

May 6th, 2020

Bad Brad

By Seth H. Bramson

To once again relate and/or enumerate the number of times that the Miami Herald has printed complete nonsense and totally factually incorrect historical statements in stories running from business to sports to just local news would probably take a full book, plus it would likely bore you to tears, so we won’t do that this time. However, we will (and sadly, not gleefully, because their total indifference to factual historical reporting when it comes to local history is nothing but shameful) relate to you the (disgusting is the only word I can use) double whammy on Greater Miami history foisted on the unwary and unknowing readers of the on-line version of that once-great newspaper which have appeared just in the last several days.

A few days ago, the paper (remember, I am referring to the on-line version) printed a lengthy article about our now gone and lamented delis. To correct every error would take paragraph after paragraph so after I make one comment I will relate to you one of the most glaring of the errors, for which (if they knew what shame was, they would be) the paper should be ashamed.

And that comment is simple, and I don’t hesitate to make it. I am America’s senior collector of FEC Railway, Florida transportation memorabilia, Miami memorabilia and Floridiana, and, as such, we maintain, here in The Bramson Archive, the largest collection of FEC Railway and Florida transportation memorabilia in the world and the largest private collection (private as opposed to a very few libraries and museums) collection of Miami memorabilia and Floridiana in the country. (Our collecting of all of this junque began 63 years ago this month and as some of you are aware, I am America’s single most-published Florida history book author, none self-published)

Over the course of many years I have reached out to the Herald at least fifty and possibly many more times offering to assist them with being certain that what their writers proffer in the way of local history is correct. Those entreaties have either been brushed aside or ignored. Unlike a story on, for example, Jeffrey Epstein, in which they triple-check to make certain that every fact is correct and that they have crossed every “t” and dotted every “i” the exact opposite is the case in their modus operandi when dealing with local history, they preferring to publish nonsense and completely false information on and about a given topic given to them by Miami’s walking fountain of MISinformation or the queen bee, never bothering to check the veracity of said statement, and, no, Al Capone did NOT have any “hideaways,” and Jews were NEVER prohibited from owning property north of Fifth Street on Miami Beach until after 1920.

And unlike those noted above, I can and do back up every statement I make or write with documentation. In the case of Jews on Miami Beach, we have the two letters sent by Lummus Brothers Investment Company to Isidor Cohen (Miami’s first permanent Jewish settler, he having arrived on the shores of Biscayne Bay on February 6, 1896) in February and March of 1917 selling him land north of Fifth Street on the beach. (There goes another nonsensical fable spouted on the walking tours given by the volunteers, tour guides and docents at both the Jewish Museum of Florida and the Miami Design Preservation League)

So, what were the stories in the Herald being referred to above? First, as mentioned, the deli story. I think that noting just one (but one enormous) error should convince you that I am “on target.” The writer stated that “Wolfie Cohen opened the first Pumpernik’s at 67th and Collins in 1954,” that statement being complete and utter nonsense and totally false.

Wolfie bought the Pumpernik’s in Sunny Isles, at 172nd Street and Collins, in 1954, closed it almost immediately, and re-opened it as Rascal House. Many of you likely know the families who owned Pumpernik’s among them the Linksmans (Charlie and Goldie, my friends and mentors in the F & B business) and the Bookbinders, but absolutely not Wolfie.

Of course, just a little bit of research on the part of the writer would have immediately brought him to this writer. And why? Only because, as America’s single most published Florida history book author, and having written six and one-half books on the history of Miami Beach and its northern suburbs, including the history of Sunny Isles Beach, I could have provided the correct details as I could have and would have done on the rest of the delis from South Miami to Coral Gables to Hialeah, but heaven forbid, when it comes to history, that paper do the right thing. Shameful at best, complete dereliction of journalistic ethics at worst.

Now, the second item, which appeared today (it might have been both on line and in print): the statement was made that Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) was the first cruise operator in Miami. I emailed the writer explaining not only how wrong she was, but included the fact that the P & O Steamship Co., part of the Flagler System (the parent of the Florida East Coast Railway) began Miami—Havana cruises as early as 1904 and that there were many cruise operators using the Port of Miami (the docks along Biscayne Boulevard) years before NCL came into existence. Have you gotten a response? No? Me neither, and that, my friends, is why I urge you to take anything you read dealing with local history in either the Herald or the Biscayne Times with the proverbial “grain of salt.”

Be—and stay—well, all, and, above all, follow the CDC guidelines, don’t act like a moron or a nitwit and do wear the proper face coverings. (We also wear gloves, and you should, too). We’ll be back with more soon.

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