The story of industrial-scale timber harvesting is what would become Corbett and Hungryland WMA's begins with one of the largest land purchased in Florida history. In 1902, the Southern States Land and Timber Company, a New Orleans-based firm, purchased approximately 2-million acres in the vicinity of Lake Okeechobee for .25 cents an acre. This massive acquisition made Southern States one of the largest landholders in the region and positioned the company to exploit the virgi

Much to no one's surprise, I have been deep in thought on the lumber industry in Palm Beach and Martin Counties circa the 1940s. What did it look like before the trees were felled? Were the pine forests more spread out? How did the lumber makes its way out of the swamp and sloughs of Palm Beach and Martin County? The other night, I was perusing the 1940-1950s aerials from UF's database and I followed a trail south off the old Jupiter-Indiantown grade. I realized the trail was

Jupiter Farms, located in western Palm Beach County, Florida, reflects over a century of development shaped by frontier transportation, pioneer settlement, and citrus agriculture. This history traces the evolution of the region through roads, groves, and local families whose efforts left lasting marks on the landscape. While the pioneer history of Jupiter Farms is short, the history of the area spans more than 5,000 years! The origins of Jupiter Farms' development are closely

January 1924 began on a somber note when John’s father, Joseph “Joe” Warren Ashley was killed by a member of the sheriff’s posse at his moonshine camp while putting on his slippers one rainy night after hearing John’s dog, “Shine” barking close by.  Joe was sixty-four years old. At this time, John was almost a year into being on the run again and was staying with his father while helping him in the distilling business. The moonshine still camp ambush was sparked by a train st

This interview with conducted by Chessy Ricca on May 28, 2019 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Joel Daves was born July 14, 1928. _____________________________________________________________ Chessy: So my first question would be what is your family background? Joel: I was born in Atlanta, my people we all came from Georgia. We came down here in 1938 when I was 10 years old. So I grew up in West Palm Beach and went to public school to Palm Beach High School and then went to Sew

The scandalous Ashley Gang of Florida, fabled to have been villainous, murderous robbers and bootleggers of the early twentieth century, were not as nefarious as the media portrayed them to be. Instead, based on current research and interviews, the close-knit family were modern day Robin Hoods, working hard to survive in the swampy conditions of early 20 th  century Florida.            A book written in 1928 by Stuart Hix set in stone the infamous reputation of the Ashley Gan