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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981-12-17 Decision near on natural preservation of little Munyon Island (WeekDay)' JNYON ISLAND If•`a ( ) What will the future Munyon Island? The small island of three acres sits amidst an 18-acre tract of which five sixths is submerged land and all of which is owned by Luke Taylor, North 0404idision near on natural preservation of little Munyon Island Palm Beach attorney. would Palm Beach attorney. run out sometime this month. Recent reports published elsewhere Monday, Taylor confirmed via a stated that the Trust for Public Land, telephone interview that the trust had a San Francisco based private taken an option but said that "I think non-profit corporation, had taken an the option time has blown by" adding option on the land and that the option that he plans to review the contrac t, particularly pre -requisite option. "I was going to make a gift to them, " Taylor said of the pending transfer of the property to the trust 40.1pa a, Trust plansto preserve .island Continued From Page 1 In a telephone interview with Dale obtaining another 17,000 with e it jAlien, southeast field representative, all Fria be conveyedhopa WeekDay learned that the trust would service. In to reply the park to a question whether not develop the island, but if if this would be the national or state acquires it, the property would then service, he said the national would be ( conveyedlpublic to abe entity. logical, but that present federal land Allen said the goal. of the trust is policy has such a reconveyance not "to own or manage property but land snagged. Y ce of the to acquire and reconveyit " - gg As to the Little Munyon Island, Allen Allen said he could tell more about said "it is our hope the island the matter within two weeks as the as it is. " be kept trust board of directors is presently . He explained that considering the option and possible submerged the 15 acres of funding for the acquisition. He ged land contain some of the q last grass beds in Lake Worth which Regardingthe overall explained that the trust would have relate to the environmental sensitivity program of cost in the acquisition, that it would of the lake. He explained that the trust, Allen said it tries. to obtain not be a complete gift. trust has threepthe land at below market value for primary interests - in preservation in natural state when : Allen. said that the trust had preservation of lands, human it acquired 38,000 acres in the east recreation and environmental meets one or more of the basic criteria Everglades from a tire firm and is sensitivity.He a onmental concerning human needs for parks, added that Little open space for recreation or Munyon Island falls into all three categories. Taylor said he will know more about the situation around the end of this month and termed the recent story in another publication as "premature," In addition to the east Everglades lands, Allen said the trust had acquired 4,000 acres earlier in the lower Keys which has since been reconveyed to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service. environmental reasons. He said the trust prefers to work in urban areas and Palm Beach County fits all of these factors. a part involving a which acquires land for preservation on excercise of the purposes. • "I do own the island and I did give the land trust an option," Taylor said. As to what the trust would do with the land, Taylor stated, "I really don't know. - A call to the trust headquarters in San Francisco brought a referral to the group's southeast regional office in Tallahassee. Continued on Page 3 YOUNG —OFFICIAL HISTORY OF g ' '. 1,981 The Early Days Very little of note happened to our patch of land until the 1920's, with one exception Doctor Munyon. Back in 1903, there was a large building on NUCTA- SCHOO (Indian for Pelican) Island. A man named Nathan Pitts started it all, planting an enormous variety of oranges, limes, guava, paw -paw, avocado pears, figs, mangos, and many others. What with the pelicans' fertilization over the ages, the result was a botanical paradise. Then along came Munyon with his Hygeia Hotel, named for the Greek goddess of health. His clientele was shuttled back and forth from Palm Beach by water, and there actually was a post office on the island. The doctor loudly hawked his exotic offerings: "No frost, no chilling winds, no colds or coughs." He even had a theme song: Munyon's Isle all hearts beguile Down where the Paw -Paw grows; There's joy for each at gay Palm Beach Down where the Paw -Paw grows! Along with it all went a glowing pitch for Paw -Paw, his "Great natural remedy for indigestion, dyspepsia, and all stomach ailments. It cures nervousness, sleepless- ness, loss of vitality, kidney, liver and blood problems, dizziness, and constipation." After a short life, the 21-room hotel was destroyed by fire, thus ending the first building to be built in what was later to become North Palm Beach, on Munyon Island.