The Red Hill Estate

The Red Hill Estate. , The Founding of Red Hill , In the 1920s, people came to Florida for many of the same reasons they do today, seeking mild winters and the beauty of Southern getaway. The Lake Placid Club of New York established its Florida resort on Lake Childs (renamed Lake Placid), and among its visitors were Margaret and John Roebling. Margaret's tuberculosis lead to their decision to settle just south of Lake Placid, and build their estate on a property called Red Hill., "The best climate for our members who seek the supreme charm of perpetual June in winter or who must for fisical (sic) safety go south because of bronchitis, pneumonia or other difficulties … or because not having enuf (sic) vitality to withstand our northern winters.” , - Melville Dewey, founder of the Lake Placid Club, 1927., John A. Roebling II came from a family of engineers known for the construction of suspension bridges, including - most famously - the Brooklyn Bridge. Margaret was a naturalist with a great love of plants who called for the preservation of the native scrub habitat at Red Hill. , Stewards of the Community , Construction of John A. Robing's estate began in 1929, during the Great Depression. In response to the extreme poverty that gripped the region, Roebling directed that local men be given much needed jobs and that labor-saving equipment not be used in favor of hiring more workers. From 1929 to1935, as 9,000 banks nationwide closed their doors, Roebling's construction project continued, despite Margaret's untimely death in October 1930., Stewards of the Land , Margaret Roebling was dedicated to protecting more than her beloved Red H Estate. In early 1930, she donated $50,000 to assist with the purchase of 500 acres of Hooker Hammock, which later became Highlands Hammock State Park. John Roebling continued support of the park after his wife's death, contributing $300,000. Alexander Blair, Red Hill Estate's engineer, oversaw the construction of the original park buildings and roads. In 1935 the property was donated to the state of Florida and became one of its first state parks., Stewards of Science , Archbold Biological Station's scientific legacy began with Alexander Blair. He began recording daily weather data, and also initiated investigations of nearby Lake Annie. These pursuits became the foundations for studies that have been conducted at Archbold ever since. , From Red Hill to Archbold , In 1935, after completing construction of the estate buildings, John Roebling, who had remarried, decided to sell or donate the Red Hill Estate. There was little interest from buyers, as few could afford to maintain such an enterprise in remote, rural Florida. His son, Donald Roebling, had a chance meeting in 1940 with Richard Archbold (an old school friend) in New York This was the catalyst for a great transition. The onset of World War I meant that Archbold would no longer be able to conduct his overseas expeditions to the Pacific. He was seeking a US base to continue his biological research. On July 21, 1941, John Roebling deeded his Red Hill Estate to Archbold for $1.00, trusting that he would be "sensitive to the unspoiled beauty of the land. The rest is history.