Lake Monkey Business is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

park and lake not opened to the public located in northern

Leon County, Florida Leon County is a county in the Panhandle of the U.S. state of Florida. It was named after the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León. As of the 2020 census, the population was 292,198. The county seat is Tallahassee, which is also the state cap ...

and within the planned private community of Killearn Lakes Plantation.

History

Though the lake was created by Julian C. "Bull" Headley (of Kentucky) in the early to mid-1950s, as part of

Bull Run Plantation Bull Run Plantation was a private estate owned by Julien C. (Bull) Headley (Heed-Lee) located in Leon County, Florida, United States. History Originally a large part of Water Oak Plantation owned by Frances C. Griscom, Headley purchased all but ...

, the land which Lake Monkey Business is on was originally part of

Frances C. Griscom Frances Canby Griscom (19 April 1879 – March 30, 1973) was an American amateur golfer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States and part-time resident of Tallahassee, Florida. Griscom won the 1900 U.S. Women's Amateur held at Shinnec ...

Water Oak Plantation Water Oak Plantation was a small cotton plantation of located in northern Leon County, Florida, United States established by Richard Bradford. Location Water Oak was located in the general area of Bradfordville. Adjacent plantations: *Pine H ...

. The lake is within the Killearn Lakes Plantation development, north of Tallahassee, Florida. The present-day Bull Headley Road frames the western boundary of Killearn Lakes Plantation; the northern terminus of the road ends at a public boat ramp for the nearby

Lake Iamonia Lake Iamonia is a large, subtropical prairie lake in northern Leon County, Florida, United States, created during the Pleistocene epoch. History Forming Iamonia Lake Iamonia's base was established during the Early Pleistocene through submerg ...

. Water Oak's purchase in 1951 the name change occurred with Headley making several enhancements to the property, including a

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, a ...

, a new brick

mansion A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word '' manse'' originally defined a property l ...

, bathhouse,

swimming pool A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming or other leisure activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built ...

, and Headley's own

duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form t ...

lake, which he called Lake Monkey Business. This was the last of Headley's land alteration projects "to monkey around with" – hence the name – which sought to attract waterfowl. There are three other lakes which he created by damming the feeder stream further up the drainage system. These consist (in order of drainage) of Lake Petty Gulf, Lake Dianne, and

Lake Blue Heron A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...

, which then drains into Monkey Business. Lake Monkey Business is fed through the prominent sweeping estuary arm to the south west. The lakes were drawn down during spring and summer months and refilled by the autumn rains and attract many migrating waterfowl. This practice is no longer employed on these lakes, but remains common on nearby hunting plantations. A small, natural island, approximately 200 feet in diameter, within Lake Monkey Business provides a natural retreat for water fowl. The island is located about halfway between the isthmus and the western end of the lake. The island contains many large hardwood and pine trees and relatively dense underbrush. In 1964, Headley sold Bull Run Plantation to a financial

syndicate A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest. Etymology The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French language, Frenc ...

of sportsmen interested in a recreational preserve.

Kinhega Lodge Kinhega Lodge was a hunting and fishing plantation located in northern Leon County, Florida, United States on Lake Iamonia. From the 1830s through 1866 the land was part of the cotton plantation known as Water Oak Plantation owned by Richard Bra ...

was established and Lake Monkey Business remained. Kinhega Lodge would eventually become Kinhega Lodge Estates, Limited. In the early 1970s the property was sold again to investors, who developed the property into Killearn Lakes Plantation, a development of over 4500 homes.Paisley, Clifton; From Cotton To Quail, University of Florida Press, c1968, pp. 83-84. Located approximately 11 miles north of

Tallahassee, Florida Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, Florida, Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In ...

's center, Killearn Lakes Plantation is a planned, heavily forested

suburban A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...

development which fully surrounds the lake. The lands on the southern and eastern perimeter of the lake form a part of the private Golden Eagle development. The western and northern perimeter is rural property in Leon County within Killearn Lakes Plantation. Use of the lake is exclusive to residents of Killearn Lakes Plantation. Access to the lake and its boat ramp is provided by a gated access road.

Recreation

A gated entrance on Turkey Hill Trail leads to a boat ramp and park. The park is located on a grassy

isthmus An isthmus (; ; ) is a narrow piece of land connecting two larger areas across an expanse of water by which they are otherwise separated. A tombolo is an isthmus that consists of a spit or bar, and a strait is the sea counterpart of an isthmu ...

with ample shade provided by many

Spanish moss Spanish moss (''Tillandsia usneoides'') is an epiphytic flowering plant that often grows upon large trees in tropical and subtropical climates. It is native to much of Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Central America, South America, the Southern Uni ...

-draped

live oak Live oak or evergreen oak is any of a number of oaks in several different sections of the genus ''Quercus'' that share the characteristic of evergreen foliage. These oaks are not more closely related to each other than they are to other oaks. ...

s and three docks useful to residents for catching various species of panfish (genus

Lepomis ''Lepomis'' or true sunfish is a genus of North American freshwater fish from the family Centrarchidae in the order Perciformes (perch-like fish). The generic name ''Lepomis'' derives from the Greek ("scale") and ("cover", "plug", " operculu ...

). A boat ramp is located at the park's north end. Until about 2000, playground equipment was provided at the park. The lake itself has a low population of juvenile

American Alligator The American alligator (''Alligator mississippiensis''), sometimes referred to colloquially as a gator or common alligator, is a large crocodilian reptile native to the Southeastern United States. It is one of the two extant species in the g ...

s. State-licensed nuisance alligator trappers are usually called upon to remove larger alligators once they reach a length of four to six feet (2 m). Although it is reported that an 8-foot (2.46 m) specimen had matured there until captured. The lake is considered "well stocked" in that it supports a large community of largemouth

Bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

and various

catfish Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, ...

. The lake is generally green in color with photosynthetic

plankton Plankton are the diverse collection of organisms found in Hydrosphere, water (or atmosphere, air) that are unable to propel themselves against a Ocean current, current (or wind). The individual organisms constituting plankton are called plankt ...

and low in weeds due to invasive

grass carp The grass carp (''Ctenopharyngodon idella'') is a species of large herbivorous freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae, native to the Pacific Far East, with a native range stretching from northern Vietnam to the Amur River on the Sino-Russian ...

. The bottom of the lake is between 6–10 feet (1.8–3.1m) in depth and strewn with small branches and trees due to

beaver Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers ar ...

activity. No swimming is allowed due to alligators and rare plankton blooms that have turned the water bright orange for months. Through 2008, on July 4, the Killearn Lakes Plantation Homeowners Association provided a

fireworks Fireworks are a class of Explosive, low explosive Pyrotechnics, pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a l ...

display over Lake Monkey Business paid for by residents' dues. In 2009 and 2010, the homeowners association voted to suspend the display due to financial constraints.

References

* Killearn Lakes Homeowers Assoc.
Business

Discussions Debate is a process that involves formal discourse on a particular topic, often including a moderator and audience. In a debate, arguments are put forward for often opposing viewpoints. Debates have historically occurred in public meetings, ...

{{Coord, 30.6069856, -84.2308434, display=title Parks in Leon County, Florida Privately held companies based in Florida