P.O. Box 2057
Lake
Placid, Florida 33862 USA Phone: 863-465-2571
FAX:
863-699-1927
send e-mailArchbold Biological
Station
P.O. Box 2057 Lake
Placid, Florida 33862 USA
Phone: 863-465-2571 FAX:
863-699-1927
send e-mail
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BEGINNINGS: Founded in
1941 by Richard Archbold The
Founding. Richard Archbold, the colorful
aviator-explorer, founded Archbold Biological Station in 1941 under
the aegis of his not-for-profit organization
Archbold Expeditions. After more than a decade of exploration in
Madagascar and New Guinea, Archbold obtained the original 1,000-acre "Red Hill"
Estate as a gift from
John A.
Roebling, II, son of the Brooklyn Bridge builder, Washington Roebling. The land
contained an unusual diversity of natural habitats, a
cluster of
well-constructed buildings, and other improvements ideally suited for an
ecological field station. Early research was dominated by botanical and entomological
explorations, and many scientists developed long-term projects that became milestones in
their fields. Several of these scientists continue to visit the Station regularly even
today.
Leadership. Richard Archbold was Resident Director from 1941 until his death in 1976. Dr Austin L Rand was the first Resident Biologist in 1941 and 1942. Dr. Leonard J. Brass was Resident Biologist from 1945 to his retirement in 1967. In 1967 Dr. James N. Layne became the first Director of Research. Layne began many long-term monitoring programs that are now part of the Station's permanent regime. He was named Executive Director shortly after Mr. Archbold's death in 1976. Layne assumed a full-time research post in 1985, Dr. James L. Wolfe served as Executive Director from 1985 through 1988, and Dr. John W. Fitzpatrick served as Executive Director from 1988 to 1995. Dr. Hilary M. Swain became Executive Director in 1995. Growth, 1970s - 1980s. The Station grew substantially during the 1970s and 80s, adding important new property (including Lake Annie), three full-time Research Biologists, a librarian, a business manager, four Research Associates, a machine shop building, renovated laboratory space, a fleet of 4-wheel drive vehicles, and other vital research equipment. In 1986, with NSF support, an Annex was added to the Main Building to house research collections, lab and computer space, and an auditorium. In November 1988, Archbold Expeditions added a second major division, the MacArthur Agro-ecology Research Center, at the 10,500-acre (4249 ha) Buck Island Ranch, and under a long-term lease from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Growth, 1990s. In 1990, a full Geographic Information System (GIS) was installed in the Annex, and a GIS Manager was hired. In 1995, one of the original 1930s Roebling masonry buildings, the garages, was converted to 1,520 square feet of office and collections space, and named the Austin L. Rand Building to honor Rand's important scientific contributions to the three Archbold Expeditions of the 1930s and to the founding of the Station. In 1997, with NSF support, a fiber-optic, institution-wide network system was installed and a Computer Systems Administrator was hired. In 1997 Station housing was augmented with a new 3-bedroom cottage (Pine Cottage). The kitchen and student dormitories in the Main Building were completely renovated. A full-time Land Manager was appointed. A K-12 education program was established. Over one thousand acres of valuable Florida scrub habitat were added to the Station in the Hicoria Tract and in many other adjacent smaller parcels. Growth, 2000s. In 2002, Archbold Expeditions purchased 3,648 acres (1476 ha) along the Station’s west boundary and created a new division called the Archbold Reserve. A new laboratory in restoration ecology was established to focus research and to oversee restoration of the natural communities at the Reserve. In 2007, a major renovation of three attics in the Main Building added office space for the laboratories below, and the roof on the historic Main Building was completely restored. Extensive automated field instrumentation was deployed at the Station and a part-time Data Manager was appointed. See also: Morse, R. 2000. Richard Archbold and the Archbold Biological Station. Univ. Press of Florida, Gainesville. 107 pp. and Lohrer, F. E. and H. M. Swain. 2007. Archbold Biological Station: An enduring and evolving Florida treasure. Florida History & the Arts 15(2):12-17.
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