UPDATE | MARCH 25 2024 VISIT
While coming back from a visit to St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge we decided to stop in Tallahassee and revisit Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park to see the awesome flowers during peak season. This was our 2nd time that we have experienced the majesty and beauty of this State Park in Florida. We visited the Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park our 1st time in 2023 and enjoyed it tremendously. See the difference of the peak of the flowers from 2023 to 2024. This blog article shows the photography and videos of our March 25, 2024 trip to Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park.
Click on the Photo below to see photos and videos of our 2nd visit.
Our morning drive to Tallahassee, Florida to visit the Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park
resulted in a fascinating adventure. The Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park with hundreds of floral varieties and tons of beautiful flowers and trees including camellias, gardenias, daylilies, rhododendrons, dogwoods, redbud trees, sago palms, magnolias and more makes for an intriguing day trip.
My family and I had been synchronizing our calendar schedule to visit Tallahassee (the Capital of Florida) for a while and one of our adventures while there was to see the glorious flora at this State Park. We had been told by some friends who had previously visited there how much they enjoyed seeing all the flowers in bloom and the many other amenities. We wanted to not only view its flora, but also to capture them in all their beauty. We love scenic photography, and the Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park picturesque charm did not disappoint us. While our trip was during the last of March, we missed the blooming flowering season just a few days. Peak blooming season starts January 1 through April 30, with the floral peak in late February, Still, our trip was awesome, and we were captivated by the vast number of plants, the flora architecture, the Maclay house and museum and all the amenities of this wonderful State Park.
The Park offers incredible experiences which complements the Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park. Experiences include offerings as canoeing and kayaking on the lake, swimming, picnicking, hiking or biking the trails. Take a browse through the historic Maclay home with tons of artifacts. See the Secret garden, Reflection Pond, Walled Garden and stroll around an awesome greenish dark blue pond.
Located only half a mile north of Interstate 10, the drive to the park is easily accessible. For time and entrance fees to the park reach out to Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park.
The physical address is 3540 Thomasville Road, Tallahassee, Florida. The phone number is (850) 487-4556.
Before you venture to my post about the Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park take a read about another spectacular garden adventure about 4 hours east of Tallahassee in Theodore, Alabama. In my article on Mobile, Alabama, I elaborate on our visit to the Bellingraph Gardens. It’s another out of this world flower and plant garden that will wow you. In fact, take a view of my video of Bellingraph Gardens at Christmas. It’s an amazing place with indescribable plant life during a special time of the year!
Contents
- Who was Alfred Barmore Maclay?
- What about Killearn?
- The Maclay House and Museum
- Lake Hall and Lake Overstreet
- Wildlife Watching
- The Brick Walkway
- Walled Garden
- Reflection Pond
- Check Out My Video of our Visit to the Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park
- There You Have it!
Who was Alfred Barmore Maclay?
Mr. Alfred Barmore Maclay was born in 1871. His family, notably affluent, attributed much of their wealth to a family business, the Knickerbocker Ice Company. This company grew to be the United States largest manufacturer of ice by 1881. Alfred B. Maclay participated in the family business and eventually his business interests expanded into the realm of real estate and the banking industry.
Alfred Barmore Maclay, in his 30’s, expanded his personal interest toward horses and other animals. Maclay participated as an exhibitor in horse shows, even serving as a judge or officiator as well. He also participated in dog shows. Maclay’s love for horses and other animals was evident by him serving for 10 years as president of the American Horse Show Association from 1926 to 1936 and sitting on the Board for ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.)
What about Killearn?
In 1912, Alfred B. Maclay purchased some real estate property in Millbrook, New York. He named the farm property “Killearn Farms” after the birthplace of his great-great-grandfather from Scotland.
In 1919 Alfred B. Maclay married Louise Fleischmann of the wealthy Fleischmann family (noted for margarine and yeast.) In 1923 they visited Tallahassee, Florida. They loved the area’s foliage so much that they decided they needed a winter residence and purchased property and named it “Killearn Plantation and Gardens.”
Soon thereafter, the Maclays started developing the gardens. Today through the efforts of the Maclays, the Alfred B. Maclay State Gardens has one of the largest assortments of camellias and azaleas in the southern United States with 28 acres of ornamental plant life.
Alfred B. Maclay died in 1944 at age 73. Two years later, Louise Maclay made the gardens accessible to the public. In April 1953, Mrs. Alfred B. Maclay and children donated Killearn Gardens and the Maclay house to the Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials in honor of Alfred Barmore Maclay. The Maclay House and most of the associated buildings were constructed approximately 1906 to 1909, when the land was used as a hunting plantation. In 2002, the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Killearn Plantation Archeological and Historic District.
Sometime after 1965, Killearn Plantation and Gardens was named Maclay Gardens.
The Maclay House and Museum
Alfred and Louise Fleischmann Maclay, residents of New York visited Tallahassee in 1923. They were so taken and enamored with the area, that Alfred purchased a several hundred acre former plantation on which a quail-hunting lodge had been built in 1909. The Maclays remodeled the structure for their winter house.
Rooms in the Maclay House and Museum have furnishings from the time period when the Maclays resided there. Two of the rooms have display cases filled with artifacts.
Lake Hall and Lake Overstreet
Lake Hall
Lake Hall offers swimming, paddling, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and picnicking. A valid Florida freshwater fishing license is needed for guests that prefer to fish for largemouth bass, bream, and bluegill in Lake Hall. For hikers or bikers, Lake Hall has two short nature trails that overlook the lakes, The Big Pine and Boy Scout Trail. Lake Hall’s boat launch is available for kayaking, canoeing, small sailboats, and paddling. No gas powered boats are allowed. Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park has a limited number of kayaks available to rent, on a first-come first-serve basis, for visitors who prefer not to bring their own. Lake Hall’s designated beach swimming area has restrooms, and a shower to rinse off when needed. Lake Hall also has several pavilions available on a first-come first-serve basis, for relaxation and picnicking.
Lake Overstreet
The Lake Overstreet property, purchased in 1994, added some 877 acres to the park, including a 144-acre freshwater lake. It also provided an additional 5 miles of multi-use trails designed for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, with an additional 3 miles for designated bike trails. These trails offer park guests an awesome scenic view of Lake Overstreet. Lake Overstreet is used for scenic viewing only by visitors to Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park. While fishing is allowed in Lake Hall, fishing is not allowed in Lake Overstreet. Abundant wildlife uses this lake.
Wildlife Watching
Wildlife watching is another exciting adventure that is available to guests. Wildlife including bobcats, alligators, white-tailed deer, Barred Owls, Bald Eagles, and many other birds, fish, and reptiles make this park their home.
Here’s some awesome tips from Florida State Parks about watching wildlife.
The Brick Walkway
The brick walkway leads from the entrance of the park all the way to the area of the Maclay home. The main brick walkway was originally a clay drive leading to the house. The State of Florida laid the brick pathway in 1968. Where did the bricks come from? The bricks were salvaged from an old street in Tampa, Florida. If you look at the bricks the origin of where the bricks were made are imprinted on them. Some were made in places as far as Maryland. I was amazed at the bricks, looking at them and taking photos of the stamped brick companies that produced them and in some their company location. What a great idea that was and a historical one at that to reclaim and use these salvaged bricks in the marvelous Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park!
Walled Garden
The walled garden provides a peaceful environment facing Lake Hall.
Reflection Pond
The reflection pond on the vast lawn facing toward Lake Hall provides a magnificent area to relax and reflect about life and the amazing gardens of this State Park!
Check Out My Video of our Visit to the
Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park
There You Have it!
The Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park is an awesome picturesque place to spend time and take in the beauty of the magnificent landscape with its diverse selection of plant life. The brick walkway leading to the historic Maclay home adorned with plants and trees on each side with all its surrounding amenities was astonishingly remarkable.
Although the blooming season had already completed by the month of May, the majesty of Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park was incredible.
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and would encourage you to pack a bag and schedule the Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park to be part of your agenda when traveling to or near Tallahassee, Florida.
