A short drive west on I-10 (about 7 miles from our rv park) is Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park. The 1,184-acre park features the Lake Hall Recreation Area (picnic, swim, fish, kayak), Lake Overstreet trails (equestrian, bicycling, and hiking), in addition to the formal gardens and home designed/built by Alfred B. Maclay.
We began our visit with a 3-mile hike on the Lake Overstreet Trail that encircles the lake.
A part of the Red Hills Region of north Florida, both hardwood hammocks (with huge live oaks) and pines can be seen along the trail.
Water stations (for human and pets) can be found in a few locations along the trail, very convenient for refilling our water bottles. We crossed several creeks that flow into the lake. And our girl, Sadie, had a great time sniffing everything in sight!
There are several overlooks for better views of Lake Overstreet. Because alligators live in and around the lake, no swimming is permitted (humans or pets).
Spring flowers were starting bloom. And I even caught a picture of a butterfly during our hike.
Dogs are not permitted in the gardens, so John stayed with Sadie while I did a quick tour of the gardens and historic Maclay House (that was open the day we visited).
Alfred B. Maclay, a New York financier, bought the land here in 1923 with the goal to create a masterpiece of floral architecture at his southern home. Killearn Plantation and Gardens was the original name; named for Maclay’s ancestral home in Scotland. Subsequently renamed to honor Maclay, his wife donated the gardens to the state of Florida in 1953. (The Lake Overstreet property was acquired by the state in 1994 and together the two properties form the state park.) The Killearn Planatation Archeological and Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
A separate entrance (where you produce the ticket purchased at the entry station) provides
access to the Maclay Gardens.
access to the Maclay Gardens.
As soon as I walked into the gardens, I saw beautiful flowers in bloom. More than 1,000 types of plants are planted here with camellia and azalea species being two of his favorites.
The Lakeside Pavilion provide views of Lake Hall and more plantings are nearby.
The Maclay House is a “small cottage” where Alfred and his wife, Louise, lived when they were in residence in FL. Even their two children stayed in a cottage behind the house with their nanny. There were several other houses on the property where prominent visitors (of which there were many) stayed. Notably, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (Edward VIII who abdicated the thrown to marry Wallis Simpson) visited the Maclays here.
Docents provide information about the house and its furnishings (most original to the Maclay family). The books were all owned by the family with multiple first editions. A Tiffany lamp and photo of Louise and their two daughters can be seen on a table with a couple of Alfred’s canes in the horse motif holder.
Retiring at a young age, Alfred devoted his time (in addition to landscaping) to raising champion horses and dogs. An exhibit in the house features photos of some of his winners.
The cozy library was used by Alfred for his botanical research. A valuable Louis XIV chair can also be seen there. While living, this is where he showcased photos of his champions.
Like the library, the dining room had wood paneling creating a warm ambiance. The many windows in the house, provided views of the beautiful plantings.
Not far from the house is the Walled Garden where two memorial plaques (one to Alfred and the other to Louise) can be seen. The Reflection Pond can be accessed through a second passageway that leads to Lake Hall.
A pine-needle path leads to lovely The Pond.
As I made my way back to John and Sadie, I saw many birds and gorgeous flowers.
Admission to Maclay Gardens State Park is $6/vehicle. There is an additional fee ($6/adult) to visit the Maclay Gardens(tour of Maclay House included). This park is a real gem in the Florida State Park system. We loved the hike around Lake Overstreet, as well as the gorgeous gardens. This is another top attraction in the Tallahassee area. For additional information about the park and gardens, go to www.floridastateparks.org/MaclayGardens.
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