Muir, Helen, 1911-

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Muir, Helen, 1911-

Helen Muir was a prominent Miami journalist and author who actively supported libraries in south Florida.

She was born in Yonkers, New York, in 1911, and moved to Miami in 1934. She married William Muir, who worked as a lawyer in Miami, and the couple had three children. Helen Muir passed away in 2006.

Muir worked as a columnist for the Universal Service Syndicate from 1935-1938, and wrote for the Miami News and Miami Herald newspapers until 1965. In addition to writing columns, she was the children’s book editor for the Miami Herald and the drama critic and women’s editor of the Miami News. She also wrote for national magazines, such as the Saturday Evening Post, Nation’s Business, and Women’s Day.

She authored several books, including Miami, U.S.A., which was first published in 1953 and revised in 1990. Another book, The Biltmore: Beacon for Miami, was published in 1987 and updated in 1993 and 1997. Her third book, Frost in Florida: A Memoir, was published in 1995, and details the friendship she and her family developed with Robert Frost while he wintered in Miami.

Helen Muir was also active in the local community, especially libraries. She served on the boards of the Miami-Dade County Public Library System and the Friends of the University of Miami Libraries, and she also chaired the State Library Advisory Council. She won numerous awards for her work and service, and was inducted into the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame in 1984.