Early Development

Imagine a rural landscape with only a barn and an old farmhouse sitting on a hill. The time was the late 1940s. Today, that site is the location of Pier One Imports on Lafayette Street.

But in 1947 that land, known as Indianhead Plantation, was owned by John and Irene Stead. It was a sizeable piece of property - going all the way back to Jim Lee Road and totaling nearly 500 acres. Stead purchased the land for about $65,000.

When the Steads began to develop the property, they moved the old farmhouse to a different location and began to level the hill. Nothing remains of the farmhouse. It was accidentally burned to the ground by a transient.

In 1947, Mr. Stead offered to sell the property from St. Augustine Road to the Old Perry Road (US-27) to the city for one dollar for the purpose of building a school and stadium. At the time, the city council said that this area was too far out of town to ever be developed and turned down the offer. But just a short time later, the county approached the Steads and purchased the land. Today it is the place where Hartsfield School stands.

The Steads came to Tallahassee in 1946 from San Francisco. The following year, they developed Indianhead Acres. Irene Stead, along with a researcher from the Old State Library, gave the streets in Indianhead Acres their Seminole and Creek names after researching Indian history.

What Do Our Street Names Mean?

First of all, Nene means "trail".

Jim Lee Road was originally to be named Humpin Nene, meaning First Trail.

Hokolin Nene	Second Trail
Toochin Nene	Third Trail
Ostin Nene	Fourth Trail
Chowkeebin Nene	Fifth Trail
Apakin Nene	Sixth Trail
Kolopakin Nene	Seventh Trail
Chinnapakin Nene	Eighth Trail
Ostipakin Nene	Ninth Trail
Atapha Nene	Dogwood Trail
Heechee Nene	Tobacco Trail
Chuli Nene	Pine Trail
Chocksaka Nene	Bridle Trail
Wekewa Nene	Spring Trail
Hasosaw Nene	East Trail
Wahalaw Nene	North-South Trail
Atchena Nene	Cedar Trail
Ohbah Nene	Owl Trail

Native American Artifacts Found

As the Steads and George Koucky developed the neighborhood, many Native American artifacts were discovered. Mr. Koucky built about 200 of the homes in Indianhead. Once, when working at the south end of Wahalaw Nene, he came across three Indian mounds. He called anthropologists from Florida State University to investigate his find. The researchers announced one of the mounds he had discovered to be a ceremonial mound.

Indianhead Airport

Airplanes landing here in Indianhead? Not large commercial airliners, but small planes that would take off and land frequently on a landing strip located in a field between Chowkeebin Nene and St. Augustine Road, just north of Wahalaw Nene.

Indianhead Acres Lake

In an interview, Mr Koucky remembered seeing an old photograph of people getting water from the head of the stream between East and West Indianhead Drives. He said many years ago people would come here from town to get their water, then carry it all the way back.

According to Koucky, the land where Optimist Park is located used to be completely under water. A dam was situated just north of Hokolin Nene with a huge pipe running under the road, thus forming the lake. In the late 1950's during a heavy storm, debris clogged the vent pipe, causing the main flow pipe to collapse, flooding the homes in the low lying areas south of the dam. Instead of fixing the dam and re-creating the lake, the county filled in the drained lake and turned it into a park. Koucky remembered seeing small sailboats and canoes on the lake, with people sitting around the bank and fishing.

Optimist Park

Former Optimist Club member John Stead and his wife Irene donated the 4.76-acres of land to the club in 1954. In an interview with the Tallahassee Democrat, Stead said he gave the land to the Optimist Club because it was the only way to ensure that people of all races would have access to the park. Following integration, the park was dedicated in 1966, and 10 years later was deeded by the club to the city. Stead said he never imagined the park would be so embraced by the community. "I'm certainly glad of that, though.''

The Steads

Irene Rogers Stead died in 1996. She was 83. She was remembered as an active civic volunteer and the original hostess in the late 1950s for WFSU television's Midday Show. Mrs. Stead was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church, past president of the Tallahassee Woman's Club and sponsor for the Tallahassee Junior Woman's Club for 32 years. She also was a member of the Florida State University Theatre Guild, Mimosa Garden Circle, the Craft Club and LeMoyne Art Foundation. She wrote the constitution for the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital's Women's Auxiliary.

John Stead

John E. Stead died in 2001. He was 84. Born in Fort Pierce, he had lived in Tallahassee since 1946. A Navy veteran of World War II, he was self-employed as a real estate appraiser and developer, and developed communities such as Indianhead Acres and Homestead Ridge. He donated property to Leon County for Hartsfield Elementary School and Optimist Park. He was a member of Optimist International, Toastmasters International, American Right of Way Association, Independent Fee Appraisers Association and Society of Real Estate Appraisers. He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church.

George William Koucky

George William Koucky died in 1997. He was 79. A native of Tucson, Ariz., George Koucky had lived in Tallahassee since 1946. He was the owner of George Wm. Koucky Inc., a major developer of Indianhead Acres and other subdivisions in Leon and Wakulla counties. He was a member of the board of directors of the Florida Home Builders Association and a life member of BPOE Lodge No. 937. He served in the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II.

This web site is dedicated to the memory of John and Irene Stead and George Koucky, pioneers of Indianhead Acres.

We seek additional history of the neighborhood - if you have photographs or recollections to share, please contact Jo Miglino at 222-3390 or through e-mail at jo@mwcreative.com