HomeMy WebLinkAboutPitts Island in Lake Worth - Part of NPBAcc.*1924
Pitts Island
in Lake Worth
?art of NPlii
,
1926 MunYons Island developed bouth from an old hermit named "ors
who had lived like Robinson Caruso. It was 17 acres, growin; almost
every xxmlitxkile fruit. Once a pelican roost which enriched the soil.
tropical
Previously known as Pitts Island before it was Munyons Island. Dr. Munyon
constructed th.e seawall and filled the space biind it with mud Oregeded
from Lake Worth. He planted all kinds of tropical fruits. Built the
Hydgei Hotel about 1906 containir; a handsome dining room with docks and
;ardens. Dr. Munyon propounded his thecryabout his Pau Pau medicir
“)od for n-rvousness sleeplessness. Pitts 14yRsthere 16 years, planting
a well of shrubs to ward off the salt ocean breezes. There were roses
p,:rowing. Royal Poinciana Hotel was visible 10 miles distan-,
banyan trees all kinds of citrus, roses, avocado, cocoanut palms, spanish
limes, surnam cherry, royal poinciana, sour sops. The place was always
open to visitors. There the pau paus grew from which the 1.)r. made its
miraculous brew which was sceposed to cure everythin;.
Munyons natural ?au Pau"emedy, Price $1.00 He consicle ed his preparation
of Pau Pau the crowning achievement of his life, knowin; as I do the reat
blessing; which follow its use. dispepsia.
Don't take whisky, don't take beer don't take narcotics which are worse
than either of them, remember Pau Pau exhilarates but does not irtox5cate
It lifts you out of despondency into the high altitude of hopes and holds
you there. Set aside all drugs or medicines, all stimulants and ;ive
Pau Pau a fair trial and you will have cause to cive your heartfelt
thenks to Munyon.
Paul Kinsley Fl. Pow 1,e Li. up 2 acres of Munyon's IsTand to
find the bottle.
1909 Big Munyon Island
Pau Pau was in part a vegetable pepsin, papaya fruit, a stomach enzyme
that aids digestien.
The very first person to on in N.-PE was Kelsey
Mr. lloers lift on Munyon's Island first
Then Pitts bou,Oat it and did a great deal of hortic-Ilture for years
and Dr. Munyon houleit it from Pitts. Kelsey Gity was already in existence
Kelsey owned a long tract of land, now known as Prosperity 'ka-MS Road
and he was the one ,Tho with his architects initially started what is now
N.D.B. C.C. embellished ard redesi;ned by Harry Oakes.
Down where the Pau Pau grows back in 1909, the „,;ood Dr. Munyon peddled
his exhilarating elixir and sold sips from his fountain of youth to
gullible tourists who flocked to. his Hotel Hygeia on his island in Lake
Worth. 7n years since, plans and dreams of magnificent hotels on Big
Munyons Island and her smaller sister island to the south have faded. Small
fortunes have been spent in hopes of making larger ones. The stern feced
Munyon must have exacted the last bit of youth from his island because it
has offered only heartburn to a lengthening list of tudges, disgust to its
owners, but a permanent home to a colony of mosquitoes. Look at the
poor dismal island now and see what it once was, lamented crafty landowner
JD YacArthilr ',Th.() owns Bankers Life and L'asualty which owns Big Munyon
Island. Munyonrrtg f plsktTg seeking clients to theisland on the
'e
eastern shore of the lake and fed them paup au concoction of papaya juice
water and a special indcredient for curing indigestion, nervousness, rheuma
tism anaemia, kidney problems, catarrah and constipation.
On the bottom of the label was "dont take whisky, etc.
Munyon also sold drinks from the fountain of youth he discovered and
built his hotel around. It was sulphur ,water from a well on the mainland
pumped across the lake to the island. Adut don't be too hard on Dr. Munyon,
it was an honest lcittec lie. It probably
jqt
- i.. -6.:EAG11 PUBLIC LIR \-
;:pt
t�s
did as much good as he said it did, siad Mc. Arthur who has an old
photograph of Munyon standing in front of his hotel. The sulphur
water probably gave them the runs which gid most of them a lot gf
food, MacArthur delighted. Few believe the hotel everg existed,
but remains of Its foundation are found by boyscout troups and
romanticcouples cou les seeking privacy. More recent history of the island.
and little Munyon Island, a two acre plot of sand about a mile north
of the Bl., Heron Bridge is less colorful. 3o th islands remain as they
were a.f to - Munyon's hotel was destroyed. Covered by ve- etat r- on and
:sa s instead of the rani ficent island in the sun hotel complex which
wss .s to rival Pier P.er in Ft. Lauderdale. The island's fate has bounded
was ..6
like a p pinball from. State Court to Federal Court, the State Supreme Court
and hack a.ain. The Court battles have sent it on dredge and fill permits
and the heightened awareness of environmental problems by state agencies
in the late 1 qE'' s . While Bankers Life has owned Big Munyon fxEii for
decades, the Little Munyon spoil island has had a succession of owners
andcurrently rests in the hands on NPB Atty Luke Taylor. In 1 °E 3,
the state cabinet established a bulkhead line around the island
allowing the possibility of filling in the island to about 17 acres
In 1966 the sun Corp. announced plans to build a 4.r million dollar
Island in the sun, a high rise with a hotel and restaurant. The state
cabinet t sold 1 acres of submerged land for 1 r,CO. an acre in 19F7,
but refused to ,;lye owner, Walter Dolae a dredge and fill perm_ t as
the Isaac Walton League and other conservationists labored to save the
unspoiled northern section of Lake Worth. It wasn't until 1g72 that
Taylor took the State to court charging that the cabinet has exceeded
its power. a year later the coilrt ruled that Taylor had the right
to a fill permit if he could truck it the fill. Taylor announced he
would build a complex rival1in; Pier 66 costing 0 milling dollars.
He hired an architect to design a marina, restaurant and yacht club
Presently he does not plan to fill ; n the 1 ` . 1 acres he said.
YOUNC7 OFFTCIAL HISTORY. 1981
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.
Doctor Munyon