Luna Plantation

Luna Plantation was a historic quail-hunting plantation in northeastern Leon County, Florida. It was created in 1916 when Horseshoe Plantation, a large estate associated with the Griscom family, was divided after the death of Philadelphia shipping magnate Clement A. Griscom. His son, Lloyd C. Griscom, received approximately 4,000 acres on the western portion of the former estate and named the property Luna Plantation. The eastern portion, comprising approximately 7,000 acres, went to Lloyd's sister Frances C. Griscom, who named it Water Oak Plantation. The property belonged to a wider network of large plantations and sporting estates characteristic of the Tallahassee area. Luna Plantation was primarily associated with quail hunting and rural landholding rather than with a consumer brand, commercial product line, or incorporated operating company. Its historical identity is therefore geographic and estate-based. The plantation's neighboring properties included Water Oak Plantation to the east and Orchard Pond Plantation and Ayavalla Plantation to the south in a 1947 description. By 1967, the recorded neighboring properties included Kinhega Lodge to the east and Avayalla Plantation to the south. Luna Plantation is also notable for a paleontological discovery made during well digging in 1916. Excavation equipment encountered a fossil-bearing layer dating to the Miocene epoch, approximately 14 million years ago. The remains reportedly included ancient horses, camels, rhinoceroses, bear dogs, and early dog-like ancestors. The location became known as the Griscom Plantation site. Work at the site was eventually abandoned because of poisonous gases, leaving the fossil locality as an important historical feature associated with the plantation. The estate was connected to Lloyd C. Griscom's broader public and business activities. Griscom was the son of Clement A. Griscom, who had been a prominent shipping executive and president of the Red Star Line and American Line. In 1929, Lloyd C. Griscom purchased the Tallahassee Democrat and retained ownership until his death in 1958. His widow continued to own the newspaper from 1958 through 1965. These activities place Luna Plantation within the context of an affluent American family's landownership, sporting culture, and regional business interests during the early and mid-twentieth century. The available reference material does not establish the plantation's present ownership, current use, operating status, public accessibility, or whether the property remains intact under the Luna Plantation name. It also does not provide evidence that Luna Plantation functioned as a modern commercial brand. The subject is best documented as a historic plantation and estate in Florida rather than as a conventional consumer or corporate brand.

Luna Plantation was established in northeastern Leon County, Florida, in 1916. Its creation followed the division of Horseshoe Plantation on October 19 of that year, several years after the death of Clement A. Griscom. Clement Griscom was a Philadelphia shipping magnate who served as president of the Red Star Line and the American Line. His family held substantial land and social prominence, and the division of Horseshoe Plantation placed two of his children in control of separate estates. Clement's son Lloyd C. Griscom received roughly 4,000 acres on the western side of the former plantation. He named this tract Luna Plantation. His sister Frances C. Griscom received about 7,000 acres to the east and named it Water Oak Plantation. Frances was a prominent sportswoman and had won the 1900 United States Women's Amateur Golf Championship. The arrangement illustrates how large Florida plantation properties could be divided among members of wealthy families while retaining distinct names and identities. Luna Plantation operated primarily as a quail-hunting plantation and rural sporting estate. The available historical account does not describe a significant agricultural product, manufactured good, hospitality operation, or formal corporate structure. Its importance arose from its landholding history, association with the Griscom family, and place within the plantation landscape surrounding Tallahassee. In a 1947 listing of adjacent properties, Water Oak Plantation lay to the east, while Orchard Pond Plantation and Ayavalla Plantation were to the south. A later 1967 description identified Kinhega Lodge to the east and Avayalla Plantation to the south, indicating that the surrounding pattern of named rural estates changed over time. A major event in the plantation's recorded history occurred during well digging in 1916, the year the estate was formed. The drilling equipment struck a fossil-bearing layer from the Miocene period, estimated at approximately 14 million years old. The recovered remains represented several extinct or ancient animal groups, including horses, camels, rhinoceroses, bear dogs, and early dog-like ancestors. The locality was subsequently identified as the Griscom Plantation site. Exploration was abandoned after poisonous gases were encountered, limiting further work at the fossil deposit. Lloyd C. Griscom's interests extended beyond the plantation. In 1929 he acquired the Tallahassee Democrat, a regional newspaper, and owned it until his death in 1958. His widow retained ownership from 1958 to 1965. The newspaper ownership provides context for Griscom's regional influence, although the available sources do not establish that the newspaper and Luna Plantation were operated as a single formal group. No reliable information in the supplied material establishes a later sale, current owner, preservation designation, public access policy, or continuing business operation for Luna Plantation. The historical record therefore supports treating Luna Plantation as a named estate and historic place. Its plantation, sporting, family, and paleontological associations are documented, but its present status remains uncertain.

• 1958

  Ownership of the Tallahassee Democrat passes to Griscom's widow

  [1]Luna Plantationen.wikipedia.org

  Following Lloyd C. Griscom's death, his widow owned the Tallahassee Democrat through 1965.

• 1929

  Lloyd C. Griscom purchases the Tallahassee Democrat

  [1]Luna Plantationen.wikipedia.org

  Lloyd C. Griscom acquired the Tallahassee Democrat and retained ownership until his death in 1958.

• 1916

  Creation of Luna Plantation

  [1]Luna Plantationen.wikipedia.org

  Horseshoe Plantation was divided on October 19, 1916. Lloyd C. Griscom received approximately 4,000 acres on the western side and named the tract Luna Plantation.

• 1916

  Miocene fossil discovery

  [1]Luna Plantationen.wikipedia.org

  Well-digging equipment encountered a fossil-bearing Miocene layer estimated to be about 14 million years old. The site became known as the Griscom Plantation site.

Historic private plantation and quail-hunting estate associated with the Griscom family and a documented Miocene fossil site.

1. 1Luna Plantationen.wikipedia.org