Muse, Florida

Muse, misspelled on federal maps as Muce,[1][2] is an unincorporated community in Glades County, Florida, United States.

History

Muse, originally spelled, Meuse, was owned and homesteaded by John Browning, Will Ballard, Dallas Douglas, Mr. Wills, Mr. Thompson, Jim and John Dese, Cornelius Poole, Crisp, F.W. Coker, and the Langford family, Berry Summerall family, and Harley Altman family.[3] Land is still owned by heirs of the original settlers through U.S. Government patents.[3][4] Settlers used to call mosquitos, "gallenippers."[3]

An acre was donated for a cemetery by Harley Altman, which was originally a private cemetery for her son, Hoyt Altman.[3][4] Considered to be a local mystery, Alice Grace Long, who died in 1912, was found at the Carson Scrub Cemetery and not the Muse cemetery.[3]

Forty acres was homesteaded by Cornelius Poole.[3]

For business, the Deese family was known to have walked from Muse to Arcadia and LaBelle.[3]

Farming and moonshine were the original industries in Muse. The authors of Glades County: Florida History remarked that "hopefully the Gallenippers didn't disturb the workers in either occupation too much," on page 121.[3]

Muse's school and post office shutdown during the Great Depression.[3]

Before burning down in 1980, church services were held in the old local schoolhouse, belonging to M.S. Hayes. Miss Nelosi, Faye Allison, Mr. Fanning, Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Taylor, Mrs. O.C. Head, Nell Jackman, and Mrs. Alice Bailey. Bailey rode from LaBelle to Muse, on horseback, every day to teach.[3]

In 1985, large amounts of property were known to be owned by the 6-L Company, run by the Lipman Brothers.[3] Lipman Produce is the "largest field tomato grower in the United States."[4]

Owning tree farms and cattle ranches, The Lykes Brothers Inc. offers deer, quail, and turkey hunts and fishing tours, on its 1,867-acre Silver Lake Preserve. Dr. Howell Tyson Lykes founded the company in 1900 and is owned by the descendants of his seven sons.[4]

Jeff Freeman's Rainbow Farms bred and raised thoroughbred horses, racing thirty of them nationally, in 1985. Muse also featured a plant nursery, rottweiler kennel and training center.[3]

William D. and Joy McCordale owned and operated Mac's General Store and Joy's Ceramic and Gift Shop. It reopened in 2017.[3][4]

Residents raised money for their own local volunteer fire department.[3]

Awards

  • Gov. Jeb Bush acknowledged Muse winning the Florida's Outstanding Rural Community of the Year 2002 award after "providing a safe community shelter to be used during storms."[5]
  • Senior Ranger Danny Callahan, of the Florida Forest Service presented Jimmy Cianfrani and the Muse Community with a "10 Year Firewise Service Award" for "its diligence and commitment to the National Firewise Communities USA program. From the smallest project of cleaning the debris off their roofs to the largest undertaking of clearing flammable vegetation 30 feet away from their houses, the Muse Community’s dedication to reducing wildfire risk is commendable."[6]

Honey Festival

  • Muse hosts the annual Honey Festival at the Muse Community Park.[7]

Memorials

  • The Community Center features a veteran memorial to Jim J. Greer at the base of the flagpole. Memorial reads as follows: In Memory of, SMSGT Jim J. Greer, USAF RET., Glades County Tax Collector, January 1994 to October 2000, For His Outstanding Service, To Muse and Glades County, The Muse Community Association, April 18, 2002.[8]

Geography

Located directly north of LaBelle, between the Babcock-Webb Wildlife Management Area and State Road 29, along County Road 720, fifty-three miles east of Punta Gorda, and twenty-nine miles east of Babcock Ranch.

Muse is also located near the intersection of Charlotte, Lee, Glades, and Hendry counties, at 26°49′39″N 81°29′46″W / 26.8275°N 81.4961°W / 26.8275; -81.4961Coordinates: 26°49′39″N 81°29′46″W / 26.8275°N 81.4961°W / 26.8275; -81.4961 (26.8275, -81.4961).[9]

Education

References

  1. ↑ "Glades County's official website". Glades County’s official website.
  2. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Muse, Florida
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Wright & Ratzlaff (1985). Glades County: Florida History. 2299 Riverside Drive, P.O. Box 1069, Moore Haven, Florida 33471: Rainbow Books / Betty Wright.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Browne, Don (2012-09-15). "Southwest Florida Online - Sunday Morning News: Glades County's Forgotten Muse". Southwest Florida Online - Sunday Morning News. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
  5. ↑ Kinner, Derek L. (January 25, 2003). "Pool Effort Makes a Big Splash". The Florida Times Union.
  6. ↑ Browne, Don (October 6, 2014). "Muse Community Recognized For Fire Prevention Efforts". Southwest Florida Online - Sunday Morning News.
  7. ↑ "Muse Honey Festival". VistGlades.org.
  8. ↑ "Jim J. Greer - Muse, Florida, USA - Specific Veteran Memorials".
  9. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  10. ↑ "West Glades School". West Glades School.
  11. ↑ "Glades County School District". Glades County School District.


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