New mini-documentary on Battle of Natural Bridge, FL

Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park

My new mini-documentary on the Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida, is now online. You can view it for free by visiting the main Battle of Natural Bridge page.

Fought on March 6, 1865, just south of Tallahassee, the engagement was the last significant Confederate victory of the War Between the States (or Civil War). Its significance comes from the fact that it prevented the Union capture of Florida's capital city, leaving Tallahassee as the only unconquered Southern capital east of the Mississippi.

The new mini-documentary follows the story of the Natural Bridge Expedition from its beginning moments in Fort Myers and Key West to its end with the bloody defeat of Federal forces along the banks of the St. Marks River. During the main engagement the 2nd and 99th U.S. Colored Troops (USCT) made 8 separate charges, but were driven back each time by the massed fire of a Confederate force that included the Cadets from what is now Florida State University.

Be sure to take the time to watch it and learn more about the battle by visiting www.exploresouthernhistory.com/nbindex.

Maclay Gardens are in Bloom inTallahassee, Florida

Maclay Gardens in Tallahassee

The most beautiful corner of Florida's capital city is now in bloom, thanks to warm weather and an early spring!
Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park spreads across hundreds of acres of hills, forests and water off Thomasville Road in Tallahassee. It is a stunning place year-round, but spring is the season when all eyes turn to the beautiful gardens that give the park its name.

Park officials report that the azaleas and dogwoods both began to bloom in late February and, as they are all across North Florida, the trees and shrubs are alive with flowers and color right now.

Path at Maclay Gardens

Maclay Gardens originated in 1923 when the land was bought by Alfred B. Maclay, a key figure in the New York financial markets. He and his wife, Louise Fleishman Maclay, named their Florida place Killearn Plantation and Gardens and set about creating a wonderland of blooming trees and plants, flowers, water features, open greens and winding paths. Over the next 21 years, the Maclays developed the gardens and even hosted the Duke and Duchess of Windsor there.

Stunning Beauty at Maclay Gardens

Mr. Maclay died in 1944, but Mrs. Maclay continued to work on the development of the gardens until 1953 when she donated the entire property to the State of Florida. Originally called Killearn Gardens State Park, the stunning site was renamed Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park during the 1970s and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

The entire park now covers 873 acres, with the ornamental gardens and related historic structures comprising 28 full acres.

The Maclay House itself will be open to the public through April 30th. The park entrance fee is $6 per vehicle ($4 if the driver is the only occupant) or $2 for pedestrians, bicyclists, etc. There is a separate $6 per adult fee to see the gardens ($3 for children ages 2-12).

To learn more about Maclay Gardens and to see additional pictures, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/maclaygardens1.html.

Reenactment of the Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida set for this Weekend

Natural Bridge Battlefield

The 146th anniversary of the Battle of Natural Bridge will be commemorated this weekend with a reenactment and other activities at Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park near Tallahassee, Florida.

Fought on March 6, 1865, the battle was one of the last significant Confederate victories of the Civil War. It preserved Tallahassee's status as the only Southern capital east of the Mississippi not captured by Union troops, kept the small port of St. Marks open to blockade runners and prevented the economic destruction of an important area of North Florida and South Georgia by Federal forces. It came just five weeks before General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House, Virginia.

The Battle of Natural Bridge resulted from a major amphibious assault by Union troops. Moving up the Gulf of Mexico from posts at Key West and Cedar Key, U.S. transport steamers arrived off the mouth of the St. Marks River in late February of 1865. Joined there by a large flotilla of Union warships, the steamers held position while General John Newton and his officers developed their plans.

Confederate Earthworks at Natural Bridge

During the first week of March, demolition parties were sent ashore to destroy railroad bridges east and west of Tallahassee and then the navy began the difficult task of bringing the main body of Newton's command to shore at the St. Marks Lighthouse south of Tallahassee. The amphibious night landing was hampered by shallow water and darkness, but the men finally got ashore and started inland. The warships, meanwhile, began a move up the St. Marks River to engage Confederate batteries and put ashore hundreds of sailors who were to serve as additional infantry during the expedition.

The naval side of the expedition was a complete failure, due to difficulty encountered navigating the narrow twisting river channel. Things went even worse for the land force. Despite eight courageous charges, the Union troops (composed primarily of the 2nd and 99th USCT regiments) were handed a bloody defeat at the Battle of Natural Bridge.

To learn more about this unique and often overlooked battle, please consider the expanded edition of my book, The Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida (also available as a Kindle download). You can also learn more and access a  schedule of this weekends events at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/nbindex.

Expanded Edition of "The Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida" is now available

The new expanded edition of my book, The Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida: The Confederate Defense of Tallahassee, is now available.

This edition includes two new chapters, revisions of some thoughts on the tactics of the battle and expanded casualty lists. It represents a major expansion from the first edition and offers, I think, a much better explanation of the battle.

The Battle of Natural Bridge was fought along the St. Marks River south of Tallahassee on March 6, 1865, and was the last significant Confederate victory of the Civil War. As proof of this, it preserved Tallahassee's status as the only Southern capital city east of the Mississippi River not conquered by Union troops. It also preserved a large area of North Florida and South Georgia from economic destruction at the hands of Union soldiers.

The new edition is 241 pages long (plus introductory material) and covers the Natural Bridge expedition in detail. It also includes photographs, maps and a listing of every soldier, Union and Confederate, who is known to have taken part in the fighting.  The casualty lists have been greatly expanded.

To order via Amazon, please click the ad at the top of this posting.

Summer Escapes #12 - Wakulla Springs, Florida

Wakulla Springs State Park near Tallahassee, Florida, preserves one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world. It is a popular place for summer escapes and is rich in history and natural beauty.

Specially equipped divers have explored the caves from which the water flows for miles and to depths of over 300 feet. The spring has also produced outstanding collections of bones from prehistoric animals, including mastodons.

Early Native Americans hunted, gathered and fished in and around the spring and local legend holds that the name "Wakulla" is an ancient Indian word meaning "strange and mysterious waters."

The Creek Prophet, Josiah Francis, established a village downstream from Wakulla Springs after fleeing to Florida at the end of the Creek War of 1813-1814. It was here that his daughter, Milly Francis, saved the life of a U.S. soldier in 1818 and became known as the Creek Pocahontas.

The spring and surrounding property were purchased in 1934 by noted Florida industrialist Edward Ball. He preserved the land in its natural state and opened the historic Wakulla Springs Lodge in 1937.

Wakulla Springs is now a state park and is open to visitors daily. The park features glass-bottom boats, river cruises, swimming, hiking and picnicking as well as dining and overnight stays in the beautiful old lodge. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/wakullasprings.

Battle of Miccosukee - Tallahassee, Florida

One of the few significant encounters of Andrew Jackson's final invasion of Spanish Florida took place on April 1, 1818, near the present city of Tallahassee.

U.S. troops had invaded Florida in March, pushing down the Apalachicola River to the site of the old "Negro Fort" where they built a new outpost, Fort Gadsden, to serve as a base for their operations. Turning northeast from the fort, Jackson's army pushed for the key Seminole towns of Tallahassee Talofa and Miccosukee in present day Leon County, Florida, receiving substantial reinforcements on the way.

Jackson reached Tallahassee Talofa ("Old Fields Town"), from which the modern city of Tallahassee takes its name, on March 31, 1818, but found that its residents had fled on his approach. The town was torched and its houses burned to the ground.

On the morning of April 1, 1818, the army pushed for the nearby Miccosukee towns. The primary center of the eastern branch of the Seminoles, the towns stretched for ten miles down the western shore of Lake Miccosukee, a large but shallow lake northeast of modern Tallahassee.

As the soldiers approached, the warriors of the towns took up a position on a point of land in a swampy pond. Their plan was to fight a delaying action to allow time for the women, children and elderly of the massive towns to escape. As Jackson detected the resistance, he swung part of his army of more than 3,000 men into line of battle to oppose the 200 or so warriors. A severe firefight erupted and continued until a portion of the army moved to flank the Indian position.

The stand by then had achieved its purpose in allowing the evacuation of the towns and the warriors fell back through the villages and across Lake Miccosukee. The soldiers followed, wading the lake and attempting to catch up with the retreating Indians, but they were unable to do so. The did, however, burn over 300 Indian homes.

The exact site of the Battle of Miccosukee is not known today, but traces of the massive villages have been found all along the western shore of the lake. There are no markers for the battle. To learn more about the Battle of Miccosukee, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/miccosukee.

Home of a Princess in Tallahassee, Florida

It is a little known fact that Tallahassee was the home of a French princess during the antebellum and Civil War eras.

Catherine Daingerfield Willis Murat, the Princess Murat, lived on Belleview plantation in Leon County, Florida, from 1854 until the time of her death in 1867. Even prior to that, however, she was a resident of Tallahassee and a distinguished member of international society.

The wife of Prince Achille Murat, a nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte, Catherine Murat was a great-grandniece of President George Washington. The couple traveled the world together and lived in Tallahassee, New Orleans, Europe and Jefferson County, Florida, until the prince's death in 1847.

By the time she purchased Belleview, a 520 acre cotton plantation, in 1854, Catherine was recognized as the Princess Murat by the court of Emperor Napoleon III of France and received financial support from the Empire. The charming little house on the plantation, typical of most plantation homes in North Florida, had been built in around 1840 and served as her home for the last 13 years of her life.

The home was relocated to the grounds of the Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science (formerly the Tallahassee Junior Museum) during the late 20th century and has been beautifully restored to its appearance and condition at the time of the Princess Murat's residence there. It can be visited daily.

For more information on the history of the house and to see additional photos, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/belleview.

Maclay Gardens State Park - Tallahassee, Florida

If you are interested in seeing one of the most beautiful places in the South, now is the time!

The spectacular and historic ornamental gardens at Maclay Gardens State Park are moving into full bloom. Long recognized as one of the most beautiful spring destinations in the country, the gardens are listed on the National Register of Historic Sites.

Located on land that has was used for farming first by Native Americans and then by early settlers through the 19th century, the gardens were planted by Mr. and Mrs. Alfred B. Maclay between 1923 and 1944. They grew from a single blooming tree to become what has been called a "masterpiece of floral architecture."

Mr. Maclay died in 1944 and his "Killearn Gardens," as they were known then, were donated to the people of Florida in his memory by the Maclay family. They now form the centerpiece of a more than 1,000 acre state park named in Mr. Maclay's memory.

The entrance to the park is just one-half mile north of Interstate 10 on U.S. Highway 319 in Tallahassee. The admission fee to the park is $4 and it costs another $4 to enter the gardens themselves. To learn more, visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/maclaygardens1.

Anniversary of the Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida

Today is the 144th anniversary of the Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida. Fought on March 6, 1865, the battle preserved Tallahassee's status as the only Southern capital east of the Mississippi not conquered by Union forces during the Civil War.

One of the last significant Confederate victories of the war, the battle took place along the banks of the St. Marks River south of Tallahassee. Blocked from using a bridge downstream nearer the coast, Union General John Newton marched up the east bank of the river to the Natural Bridge, hoping to cross the St. Marks and strike the railroad line between Tallahassee and St. Marks.

Despite his later denials, his plan was to break the railroad and then advance on Tallahassee, taking Florida's capital, before pushing on to Thomasville, Georgia, where he believed thousands of Union prisoners of war were held. There had been a prison in Thomasville, but Newton did not know it had been evacuated by the time of his expedition.

The Federal troops were blocked at the Natural Bridge by a large Confederate force made up of the 1st Florida Reserves, the 1st Florida Militia, the Milton and Kilcrease Light Artillery batteries, the Cadets from the West Florida Seminary (today's Florida State University) and companies from both the 2nd and 5th Florida Cavalries. A detachment of sailors from the Confederate gunboat C.S.S. Spray and another detachment of men from Campbell's Siege Artillery also served as infantrymen during the battle.

The Union force consisted of the 2nd and 99th U.S. Colored Infantries, a dismounted battalion from the 2nd Florida U.S. Cavalry, and a detachment of sailors that manned the Federal artillery during the battle.

The site today is preserved as the Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park. Located near the town of Woodville south of Tallahassee, the park includes monuments, preserved earthworks, a picnic area and beautiful views of the St. Marks River. The park hosts its annual memorial services and battle reenactment over the weekend, with events set for both Saturday and Sunday. The main events will take place on Sunday with a memorial service at 1 p.m. (Eastern), followed by the main battle reenactment.

To learn more about the battle, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/nbindex.

Maclay Gardens State Park - Tallahassee, Florida

It will only be a few weeks now before the spectacular flowering plants at Tallahassee's Maclay Gardens State Park begin to bloom.

The photographs in this post were taken on March 24th last year and provide a good idea of how the gardens will appear in about three weeks. Maclay is always quite stunning during the last week of March and first week of April.

The gardens were conceived and planted by Alfred B. and Louise Maclay, who purchased the property on the north side of Tallahassee to serve as a winter home. They began working on the gardens in 1923, naming them "Killearn" after a village in Scotland. For the next two decades, the planting and cultivation of the gardens was a labor of love for Mr. and Mrs. Maclay. Over that time they planted a stunning variety of flowering plants and trees.

Mr. Maclay passed away in 1944, but by then the gardens had achieved worldwide recognition as one of the most beautiful places in the United States. They now are the focal point of Maclay Gardens State Park, located just off Thomasville Road (U.S. 319) in Tallahassee.

Maclay Gardens are listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/maclaygardens1.

Lake Jackson Mounds - Tallahassee, Florida

The site of modern Tallahassee has been the location of capital cities for thousands of years.

Long before this site was selected to become the capital of Florida, the Tallahassee area was the center of the Apalachee Indians. This Native American tribe battled early Spanish explorers such as Panfilo de Narvaez and Hernando de Soto. Their ancestors, it is believed, were responsible for the development of the major civilization that had its center at the Lake Jackson Mounds in the northern edge of Tallahassee.

Now preserved as a state park, the Lake Jackson site features two large platform mounds, what remains of a massive ceremonial complex. Archaeologists believe this site was occupied during the Mississippian period (A.D. 900-1500), but was abandoned for unknown reasons in around 1500, just a few decades before Spanish explorers penetrated the region.

Excavations here revealed the burials of high status individuals believed to have been chiefs and priests. Some of the individuals were buried with elaborate copper breastplates, made from metal brought down from the mountains of North Georgia and Tennessee. These presence of such items at the site indicates that its occupants had vast trade networks.

The site now features interpretive displays, a nature trail, wooden stairs leading to the tops of the two mounds and a beautiful open area on the plaza of the ancient city. For more information, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/lakejackson1.

Hernando de Soto's Winter Camp in Tallahassee, Florida

Hernando de Soto's route through the South is one of the most debated mysteries in American history.

Although numerous theories have been presented and it is believed that De Soto and his army visited ten or more states, so far only one site has been found by archaeologists at which he presence can be positively verified. It is the Hernando de Soto Winter Encampment Site in Tallahassee, Florida.

Now a small state park just a few blocks from Florida's Capitol Complex, the De Soto site was uncovered by state archaeologist B. Calvin Jones (now deceased) entirely by accident. He was looking for traces of a known Spanish mission in the vicinity at a construction site when he began to find strange artifacts. They turned out to be items dating from Hernando de Soto's sojourn at the site during the winter of 1539-1540. Included among the artifacts were pieces of chain mail armor, darts from crossbows, coins and even pig bones (De Soto introduced pigs to the Southeast).

To learn more about this unique historic site in Tallahasee, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fldesoto1.

Mission San Luis in Tallahassee, Florida

One of the most fascinating historic sites in Florida is Mission San Luis in Tallahassee. Established during the 1600s, this mission was for nearly fifty years the western capital of Spanish Florida.

The site today is a beautiful park area maintained by the State of Florida. In addition to a museum displaying archaeological finds from the site, the park features reconstructed Spanish and Native American structures including a massive Apalachee Indian council house, the church and friary of the mission, a typical 17th century Spanish home and Fort San Luis, the military post established to protect the mission.

Mission San Luis was the capital of the Apalachee Province during the latter half of the 17th century. The Apalachee were still then a powerful Native American tribe. They had battled Hernando de Soto during his brutal 1539-1540 explorations of Florida and were regarded by other Indians of the state as its most powerful nation.

When Franciscan missionaries began to work their way westward across Florida, the Apalachee still were in control of the vast region between the Ochlockonee and Suwannee Rivers. Despite one or two revolts, they generally worked peacefully with the missionaries and a large percentage of the tribe accepted Christianity.

San Luis served as both the Spanish and Apalachee capital for the province until 1704, when it was abandoned in the face of a major English-led military expedition.

To learn more this fascinating historic site, visit our new Mission San Luis page at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/missionsanluis.

Breaking News: Florida Saves Natural Bridge Battlefield!

There is major news tonight on the historic preservation front.

The governor and cabinet of Florida have voted to purchase critical property adjoining the Natural Bridge Historic State Park. The land includes the scene of much of the key fighting of the Battle of Natural Bridge.

Fought on March 6, 1865, the Battle of Natural Bridge was one of the last significant Confederate victories of the Civil War. It preserved Tallahassee's status as the only Southern capital east of the Mississippi not captured by Union troops during the war.

The battlefield is the second largest in Florida (only Olustee is larger). Today's announcement marks the first major Civil War related preservation project undertaken by the State of Florida in many years.

If you are interested in learning more about the battle, you can do so by clicking here. Also please consider my 2007 book, The Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida. It is also available through most online bookstores, including Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

Here is the official announcement released today by the Florida Forever program:

FLORIDA FOREVER AQUISTION PROTECTS CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELD
AND FLORIDA SPRING
~Florida Forever acquisition preserves 54.74 acres adjacent to Natural Bridge
Historic State Park~

TALLAHASSEE— Governor Crist and Cabinet today approved the purchase of 54.74 acres of land adjacent to the Natural Bridge Historic State Park in Leon County. The acquired parcel is significant to the protection of a first magnitude spring and features a Civil War battlefield.

“This important purchase is a part of the Florida First Magnitude Springs project and one of the top projects on the Florida Forever priority list,” said Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Deputy Secretary Bob Ballard. “This acquisition ensures that the geological, historical and cultural integrity of this property and the surrounding water resources are preserved for Floridians and visitors from all over the world to enjoy for years to come.”

This Florida Forever project focuses on land that provides increased protection for Florida’s First Magnitude Springs that discharge more than 100 cubic feet of water per second. Florida’s springs, scattered through northern and central Florida, draw from the Floridan aquifer system, which is the state’s primary source of drinking water. Springs, with clear, continuously flowing waters, are among the state’s most important natural resources and are famous attractions. This acquisition brings the Florida First Magnitude Springs project closer to completion, with 7,844 acres of the 14,081 acre project remaining.

The property contains many karst features such as sink holes, natural bridges, swallets, karst windows and submerged cave systems. By preserving the surrounding land, this project will preserve the area’s geological significance and protect Florida’s water resources from the effects of commercial, residential and agricultural runoff and other potential impacts.

The property is also the site of Florida’s second largest Civil War battle. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and cited as one of the top ten endangered Civil War sites in the United States by the Civil War Preservation Trust. In 1865, during the final week of the Civil War, the battle at natural bridge preserved Tallahassee as the only Confederate Capitol east of the Mississippi that did not surrender to Union forces. Today, important historical and cultural, resources can be found on the property dating from the Paleo-Indian period (10,000 B.C.) to the Civil War. The property will eventually be managed by DEP’s Division of Recreation and Parks as part of the Natural Bridge Historic State Park.

Originally established in 1999, the 10-year, $3 billion Florida Forever program is the largest land-buying initiative in the nation, conserving environmentally sensitive land, restoring water resources and preserving important cultural and historical sites. More than two million acres throughout the state have been placed in public ownership under Florida Forever and its predecessor program, Preservation 2000 (P2000). For more information on the Florida Forever program, visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/lands/acquisition/FloridaForever/.

To view maps that outline the subject parcel in this purchase, visit the following links: www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/news/2008/11/files/rakestraw_springs76.pdf
www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/news/2008/11/files/rakestraw_springs77.pdf


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Tropical Storm Fay Update

Tropical Storm Fay continues to cause major problems in the South. The storm is now having a major impact on southern Alabama and Georgia as well as much of the state of Florida.

If you are planning to travel South this weekend, please stay up to date on the latest weather conditions. Not only are flights being impacted, but there is widespread flooding across Florida and tornado activity has been reported throughout the storm area. Some areas in the vicinity of Tallahassee have reported 22 inches of rain so far.

The Jackson County Times newspaper in Marianna, Florida provides good updates for that area and links to video updates and an array of other information on the storm, so please visit them if you would like to keep up with things. Just click here to visit their site.

Spring Travel Part Sixteen: Natural Bridge Battlefield, Florida

The South is dotted with Civil War battlefields, each important and unique in its own right.

One of the more interesting to me, though, can be found at Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park in Florida.

Located just south of Tallahassee, the battlefield preserves the scene where on March 6, 1865, a hastily assembled force of Southern men and boys held back a Union invasion force. The Battle of Natural Bridge preserved Tallahassee's status as the only Southern capital east of the Mississippi River not taken by Union troops during the Civil War. Many consider the engagement to have been the last significant Confederate victory of the war.

The battle was unique from many perspectives. All of the Union infantry on the ground at Natural Bridge came from African American regiments, while the Confederate defenders included the corps of cadets from what is now Florida State University.

To learn more about the Battle of Natural Bridge and see other historic sites in the area, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/nbindex.

Two Egg, Florida

It could very well be called America's hometown because no one seems to be able to so much as hear a mention of the quaint little community of Two Egg, Florida and not feel a smile cross their face.

Two Egg is located in Jackson County, about one hour west of Tallahassee. It is a place with no city services, no city taxes, no city restrictions and no city bad manners.

Founded before the Civil War, the community did not receive its unique name until the Great Depression. Today it is little more than a crossroads, but it may very well be the biggest little spot on the map in all of the American South!

If you would like to learn more about Two Egg, Florida (including the story of its unusual name), please visit our new website at www.twoeggfla.com.

Maclay Gardens - Tallahassee, Florida

A reader let me know that there were problems with the link I gave this week for Maclay Gardens State Park in Tallahassee. Sorry about that!

Here is the correct link for you: www.exploresouthernhistory.com/maclaygardens1. I also corrected it in the original link.

If you are interested in visiting Maclay Gardens while the spring blooming season is still underway, they are very easy to reach from Interstate 10. Just travel to Tallahassee on Interstate 10 and exit onto U.S. 319 North (Thomasville Road). The gardens are ahead just one-half mile on your left.

Lake Jackson Mounds - Tallahassee, Florida

As we roam the highways and byways of the South, we are occassionally reminded that we were not the first to build cities on this land. Native American sites dot the landscape.

Among the most impressive of these sites are the long abandoned ceremonial centers of the Mississippian era (A.D. 900 - A.D. 1540). These mound complexes can be found in every Southern state and have survived for more than 500 years as silent reminders that an advanced civilization once stretched from Oklahoma to the Atlantic Ocean and from the Gulf of Mexico to the Midwest.

Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park in Tallahassee, Florida, preserves the surviving mounds of one of these ceremonial complexes. Probably occupied by the ancestors of the Apalachee that the Spanish found living in the Tallahassee region when they first entered Florida, the Lake Jackson Mounds comprise one of the most impressive Native American heritage sites in Florida and the Deep South.

Our new Lake Jackson Mounds page is now online at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/lakejackson1. To learn more, just follow the link.

Maclay Gardens - Tallahassee, Florida

Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park in Tallahassee, Florida is one of the most spectacular locations in the South, especially during the spring.

Once called Killearn, the gardens are considered "masterpiece of floral architecture." They were conceived and planted by Alfred B. Maclay beginning in the 1920s. Maclay and his wife, Louise, purchased the Killearn estate as a winter home and planted their first camellia in 1924. They conceived turning the grounds into a spectacular array of color timed to bloom from February to April of each year (the months of their annual visits).

By the time Mr. Maclay died in 1944, the gardens had become one of the true landmarks of the South. Mrs. Maclay and her children donated the 307 acres to the people of Florida in 1953. Today they form the centerpiece of Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park.

If you would like to learn more about this stunningly beautiful state park located in Tallahassee, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/maclaygardens1.