The Centennial year of the City of Homestead has been marked with festivals, celebrations and works of art that commemorate the history of the second oldest city in Miami-Dade County. One of the most important works that will serve to immortalize the journey of our community is the history of Homestead book, Homestead, Florida. . . . From Railroad Boom to Sonic Boom, co-authored by Dr. Seth H. Bramson and Bob Jensen. During the October City Council meeting, Councilwoman Patricia Fairclough, Council Liaison to the Centennial Steering Committee, honored both authors with certificates of appreciation that acknowledged their literary contribution to the one hundredth anniversary of the City of Homestead.
“I want to thank the two authors for utilizing their gift of writing to document our history, our struggles and our successes as a city,” said Councilwoman Fairclough. “I read the exciting history of our journey in one night and I recommend that all our residents pick up a copy at the Old Town Hall Museum so we all know where we come from during this Centennial celebration.”
Dr. Bramson is an adjunct professor of history and historian at Barry University, Florida International University and Nova-Southeastern University. He has authored over twenty-two books with sixteen of them dealing with Floridian history. He also holds the largest private collection of Miami and Florida memorabilia. Co-author Bob Jensen served in the U.S. Navy for twenty-eight years. He was also an officer at Homestead’s 1st National Bank of South Florida and serves at vice-president for community liaison. Jensen is an avid historian who has served on Miami-Dade County Historic Preservation Board and is currently on the County Cultural Affairs Council.
“Thank you very much for this opportunity, it has been a work of great joy,” said Jensen while accepting the award. “I have been researching and gathering the history of our city for over 33 years and I am thrilled that the Centennial Steering Committee supported the project of finally gathering it all together for current and future generations to enjoy.”
Caption, from left to right: Bob Jensen, Councilwoman Fairclough, and Homestead Centennial Steering Committee Chairwoman Yvonne Knowles on the right. Seth Bramson was unable to attend the October Homestead City Council meeting.
