Miami’s original settlers, the Tequesta, are set to have their place in the city’s history further cemented with a plaque honoring the “Tequesta Family” sculpture atop the Pillar of History monument on the Brickell Avenue Bridge.
The City Commission is expecting to declare its support on November 20 for the installation of a new bronze plaque at the bridge. The plaque would explain the sculpture’s meaning and provide context for residents and visitors who cross the bridge daily, reminding them that the modern city stands on land first inhabited by the Tequesta nearly 2,500 years ago.
The Pillar of History, installed in 1995 during the reconstruction of the Brickell Avenue Bridge, is one of Florida’s largest bronze monuments. At its base, 16 bronze bas-reliefs honor Miami’s early pioneers and local wildlife, while the 36-foot column of 158 figures graphically narrates the history of the Tequesta Indians, who lived along the Miami River long before the city existed.
The “Tequesta Family” sculpture sits atop the bas-relief column and rises 17 feet above the bridge, portraying a Tequesta warrior aiming an arrow toward the sky, his wife looking upward as she cradles their son, who shields his eyes – a poignant symbol of the tribe’s search for the future and the inevitability of their disappearance.
The proposed plaque would describe this symbolism, highlight the sculptor, Cuban artist Manuel Carbonell, and mark the first effort by the Florida Department of Transportation to integrate public art into a bridge design.
The Tequesta tribe settled near the mouth of the Miami River as early as 500 BCE, making it their home for nearly two millennia before Spanish colonization led to their disappearance in the 18th century.
Evidence of their presence, including the nearby Miami Circle, a limestone formation with 24 cut holes probably used as a ceremonial platform or council house, remains the only known prehistoric structure carved into bedrock in the eastern United States. It is now buried and shielded from view to protect it from the elements.
The bridge and its monuments offer a striking visual reminder of Miami’s deep history, connecting the city’s first inhabitants with its later pioneers, such as the Brickell family, for whom the area is named.
The resolution, sponsored by District Two Commissioner Damian Pardo, is intended to help residents and visitors understand and appreciate the city’s earliest history. With the commission’s support today, the city clerk will transmit a certified copy of the resolution to the Florida Department of Transportation to proceed with installation of the plaque.
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