WHO WE ARE
The Friends of Maclay Gardens, Inc. is a non-profit citizen’s support organization for Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park. It is a volunteer community group dedicated to its mission "To support and enhance our unique State Park while ensuring the Maclay legacy continues to be maintained for future generations to enjoy." Community support helps build a strong constituency for this unique resource and raise funds for restoration, preservation and capital projects.
In 1923, New York financier Alfred B. Maclay purchased the 1,935-acre Lac-Cal Hunting Plantation and adjoining land, who made his winter home in Tallahassee. He created a 3,760 acre estate he called Killearn after his ancestral village in Scotland. Between 1923-1925, the Maclays remodeled the 1906 hunting lodge. They painted it a burnt sienna color Mrs. Maclay called "Georgia clay." They also established the expansive lawn in front of the house on the shore of the lake (now Lake Hall). The Gardens were first planted in the 1930s by Mr. Maclay. After his death in 1953, Mrs. Maclay gave the Gardens to the State of Florida with the understanding that they be preserved as Mr. Maclay had designed them and open for the public to enjoy. Park land surrounding the Gardens offers recreational sites for swimming and wooded trails for hiking, jogging, bicycling and horse-back riding.
WHAT WE DO
The Friends of Maclay Gardens, Inc., has assisted Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park in many ways. Recent accomplishments and ongoing projects include:
Financial and volunteer assistance for programs and workshops presented by the park including: Kids Fishing Day, Literacy events, Kids Gardening Day and other programs presented for educational and recreational purposes
Sponsor and present special events to raise funds and increase public awareness of the park, including an annual Tour of Gardens, Moon Over Maclay Jazz Concert in the Gardens, Scarecrows in the Park exhibit each October, Camellia Christmas in December
Donated a parcel of property adjacent to the Park on Maclay Road, extending the optimum park boundary
Construction of an accessible wildlife viewing platform on the southern side of Lake Overstreet
Financed repairs to the cooling system in the greenhouse and provided materials for plant propagation
Provided landscaping design and installation assistance for Park entrance areas, including a wrought iron mechanical gate
Provide funds for annual replacement plants in all areas of the historic Gardens
Purchased a 6 passenger golf cart to facilitate access for people with disabilities.
Purchased a portable lighting system for evening and early morning events such as Moon Over Maclay and the Red Hills Triathlon
Provide equipment and amenities for the Park on an ongoing basis, when the Park budget does not cover needed items. Examples include computers, software and scanners for documentation of historic records, office furnishings, materials needed for volunteer support, a grapple for the Park's tractor, and field equipment such as binoculars for interpretive programs
Assisted with financing wayfinding signs and provided materials for stabilization of Lake Overstreet Trails
Financed a major upgrade to the Park's antiquated irrigation system, resulting in reduced water use