Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park History
Alfred Barmore Maclay made his first purchase of land in 1923 as a nucleus for Killearn Gardens. The following season the original "Aunt Jetty" camellia was planted at its present location and from that time the Gardens have been gradually developed. The name "Killearn" came from a village in Scotland where Mr. Maclay’s great-grandfather, the Reverend Archibald Maclay was born. The Gardens were Mr. Maclay’s hobby. He devoted many hours planning them and studying plants and their care. At the time of his death in 1944, Killearn Gardens had become widely known as one of the outstanding beautiful locations in this United States. Development reached a new peak under the guidance of Mrs. Maclay who opened them to the public in 1946 and 1948.
Mrs. Alfred B. Maclay and children, Mrs. Georgiana Maclay Bowers and the late Captain Alfred B. Maclay, Jr. gave Killearn Gardens to the State of Florida as a memorial to Alfred Barmore Maclay. The gift of 307 acres, which included the Gardens, was made in April 1953. The Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials accepted the responsibility of maintaining and operating Killearn Gardens for the enjoyment of the people of Florida and their guests.
The Lake Overstreet property was added to the park in 1994, bringing the total acreage to 1176 acres. Today, the Florida Park Service is proud to maintain the Gardens and offers the visiting public opportunities to enjoy this park’s other recreational amenities and facilities including swimming, hiking, biking, fishing, horseback riding and picnicking.
The park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.
Historic Ornamental Gardens
The park's predominant cultural resource is the 28 acres of ornamental gardens designed by Alfred B. Maclay from the 1920's to the 1940's. As a private pleasure garden, Maclay's design intent was to create a place of quiet beauty and serenity, with the peak flowering season during winter and early spring, when the family was in residence. Maclay featured camellias as the "backbone" of the gardens design, and included hundreds of other plants that flower along with the camellias.
Historical Buildings
The Maclay House and most of the associated buildings were constructed circa 1906 to 1909, when the land was used as a hunting plantation. The Maclay family made extensive renovations during the 1920's.
Lake Overstreet Cultural Sites
From prehistoric times to the mid nineteenth century, a thriving community of farming families lived on the property surrounding Lake Overstreet. Native Americans farmed in the area, and evidence suggests that a section of trail alongside a ravine may be the same "Indian Path" noted on a map dating to 1822. During Maclay's ownership of land here, many families living on what was called "the Maclay Place" were tenant farmers, and also worked for Maclay as gardens staff, horse handlers, and household help. Some farm families owned their own land, as private holdings within the almost 4,000 acres that Mr. Maclay amassed during his time in Tallahassee. The Lake Overstreet property has been recognized as an area rich in cultural resources, and much remains to be learned about how people have lived on the land over the generations before us.
