Definitive by David Harder, Destination Dean Jue and Sally Jue Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park Leon County, Florida

Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park is the perfect The Red Hills Horse Trials, an internationally- location to see a wide selection of hard-to-find recognized three-day event, plus occasional Florida butterflies. The Park is a relatively special activities (e.g., orienteering new, 670-acre, city park at the northern edge competitions). of Tallahassee, Florida, located where the The park property was sold to the ND by Florida Panhandle joins peninsular Florida. Colin Phipps in 1992 and the park is named Phipps Park is managed jointly by the for Colin’s mother. Mr. Phipps still owns Tallahassee Parks & Recreation Department The Farm, an equestrian center adjacent to and the Northwest Florida Water Management the park on the south side (where the Horse District (ND). Primarily used for passive Trials’ cross-country competition takes place). recreation (butterflying, birding, hiking, The land contains high species and biological Georgia, isn’t like the Florida touted in travel biking, riding, etc.), each March it also hosts community diversity. The ND’s goals for the ads — no sandy beaches, palm trees, or theme park include managing the land to protect parks here. Instead, there are gently rolling Florida’s water supply (the park is on the hills with red clay near the surface (hence east side of Lake Jackson, which periodically the name), live oaks dripping with Spanish drains into the Floridan aquifer as suddenly moss, and antebellum plantations converted to as a bathtub with a pulled plug), and the museums or nature centers. protection and restoration of the land to its The Florida Panhandle has a great variety natural state. of butterflies. North Florida is the southern It is believed that the area surrounding limit for several dozen species. A few of the lake has been farmed off-and-on since them occur here as disjunct populations, at least the 16th century, when the Apalachee hundreds of miles south of their main ranges. tribe occupied the Tallahassee area (Hernando At the same time, it is the northern limit for De Soto’s expedition encountered them while a number of species more common in the passing through in 1540). Large earthen Florida peninsula. These overlapping northern mounds made by this tribe can be seen about and southern faunas contribute to the area’s two miles southwest of Phipps Park, at Lake butterfly diversity and more than 120 species Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park. are found within 75 miles of Tallahassee. A 17th century Apalachee village and Spanish mission/fort have been reconstructed at the This page top: A view of prime Golden Banded-Skipper habitat in Elinor Klapp-Phipps San Luis Archaeological and Historic Site on the west side of town. Park in Tallahassee, Florida. Aug. 18, 2007. Phipps Park, Lake Jackson, and the whole This page bottom: Large live oaks are common in the Park. April 2, 2006. north side of town, are in a region known as the Tallahassee Red Hills. This region, Opposite page: Bear’s-foot flowers are attractive nectar sources.Sept. 15, 2007. which extends into the southwestern corner of  American Butterflies,Fall/Winter 2007