Dorothy B. Oven Park & House
Park Information
- Rules and Regulations
- Floor Plan (PDF)
- Location Map (PDF)
- Photos
- Contract for Weddings & Parties (PDF)
- Contract for Meetings (PDF)
- Contract for Multi-Date Meetings (PDF)
The history of the Dorothy B. Oven Park is as rich as the soil that nurtured the finest camellias in the area. The property was part of the Lafayette Land Grant awarded to General Marquis de Lafayette in 1824 by the United States Congress.
In the 1930's the Camellia Nursery, built by the late Breckenridge Gamble, Ritchie and Bill Rosa, was replaced by the house which was designed by Mr. Alfred Maclay. The property was donated by Mr. Will J. Oven, Jr. in 1985, to the City of Tallahassee through the Tallahassee Friends of Our Parks Foundation, Inc., in an unprecedented gesture of civic generosity, with the stipulation that it be developed as a city park, retaining the integrity of the area.
The Dorothy B. Oven Park Main House features a classic manor-style home with rare magnolia paneling, wooden floors, antique furniture and artwork, full kitchen facilities and a charming lanai. The House is available to the public for rental use for seminars, weddings, meetings and receptions.
The Park is located in the heart of more than six acres of lush North Florida garden filled with azaleas, camellias, palms and other local flora giving the park an ambience not found elsewhere. The park is open during regular business hours for tours and lease. The fees vary according to space and time requested.
The City of Tallahassee and the Parks and Recreation Department invite you to visit the Dorothy B. Oven Park and experience this new concept in our city park system. It is truly a place to get away ... within the City Limits.
Fees & Charges - subject to 7.5% State Sales Tax, and due 30 days in advance
| Individual Room Rental - Minimum 2 Hours - Less than 50ppl | ||
|---|---|---|
| Weekdays from 8:00am - 5:00pm | $30.50 | First Hour |
| $13.00 | Each Add'l Hour | |
| Evenings after 5:00pm and Weekends | $30.50 | First Hour |
| $18.75 | Each Add'l Hour | |
| Whole House Rental - Entire First Floor (non wedding/reception) | ||
| Weekdays from 8:00am - 5:00pm | $181.75 | 4 Hours |
| $241.75 | 8 Hours | |
| Evenings after 5:00pm and Weekends | $362.00 | 4 Hours |
| $61.50 | Each Add'l Hour | |
| Weddings and/or Receptions - Entire House and Grounds | ||
| Saturdays from 9:30am - 11:30pm | $1263.75 | 14 Hours |
| All Other Days | $632.50 | 6.5 Hours |
| $61.50 | Each Add'l Hour | |
| Refundable Deposit - Due at Time of Booking (no sales tax) | ||
| Up to 50 people | $50 | |
| 50 or more people | $200 | |
| Refund Policy | ||
| Deposit is refundable after your activity as long as there are no damages. If there are damages, you will be notified of any charges. Notice of cancellation must be received 90 days prior to the event for a full refund, notices received less than 90 days will forfeit the refund, any cancellation received 2 weeks from the booking date or less, all monies will be kept. All notices of cancellation must be in writing. | ||
| Make Checks Payable To: | ||
| City of Tallahassee Dorothy B. Oven Park 3205 Thomasville Road Tallahassee, Florida 32308 |
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Park Rules & Regulations
Dorothy B. Oven Park is a public park and is always open to the public. Since most of the events booked are private, staff is instructed to direct any visitors to areas of the park not in use. In order to maintain the House and Park in its pristine condition, we have set some ground rules for guest and those employed by guest. This list is not exhaustive.
- All functions are to follow the House Rules. There is no smoking in the House and no parking on the grass for any reason. Unloading may be done from the driveway and all hired staff vehicles should be parked in the parking lot.
- The kitchen and all areas used by the party are to be cleaned at the conclusion of the function. This includes any service or preparatory areas. The last load of dishes may be left running in the dishwasher, all other items should be cleaned and put away. If food is to be served, arrangements should be made at the time of the booking to reserve the kitchen.
- Professional, licensed caterers are highly recommended to assist with your food service. They are expected to provide their own supplies such as garbage bags, detergents, paper towels, etc., needed to keep the House in good order. There are no serving pieces or cooking pans available at the park. Please pick-up any trash and leave the areas used by your group clean. Since various liquids can be harmful to the foliage please do not throw liquids or ice in the gardens.
- Any chairs rented from a rental company are to be set up by the rental company, caterer, or the guest. The Park Staff cannot be responsible for this service. The chairs in the House, are to be left in the House, they do not go outside. Certain Park tables may be placed outside. The staff on duty must be made aware of this before they are moved. Ideally, the Park staff will perform this service in order to insure the proper treatment.
- Event times are set at the time the Park is reserved. These scheduled times should include setup, event and cleanup. On occasion, we have two functions on the same day; when this occurs, the caterers and guest need to respect the following or previous party. Drop offs for the latter party will not be allowed until after the earlier party, or may be arranged through Park Staff. Likewise, the earlier party will not be permitted to leave any items such as rental materials beyond the contracted time. There is a rental shed on the property to store items until they can be picked up. Any items left will be held for pick up for only three weeks.
- If you plan to use tents, they may only be used in the designated areas with prior approval. All tents must be erected during a prearranged time, please have your tent company call the park staff to arrange.
- The linen required for the tables is not available at the park. Most of the tables are standard sizes making linens easily obtained from most local rental companies. The glasses, cups, etc., available at the park are free to the guest for the party but should be cleaned and returned to the appropriate place.
- The furniture and paintings in the Dorothy B. Oven House are rare and should be treated as such. The paintings and the furniture should not be moved, nor are they to be used as support for any decorations requiring tape or tacks. Likewise, the paneling is not to be marred with tape or tacks. The window curtains have a pull down shade, which may be used if necessary. Please do not try to close the curtains themselves. If there is a question regarding decorations, please contact the house staff.
- When alcohol is served at parties, it should only be served and never sold. It is the renters or caterer's responsibility to arrange for the bartenders. You should also be sure no minors (by I.D. checks if necessary) are served and that consumption levels are not excessive.
- Since rice has been found to be harmful to birds, please make plans to use birdseed for wedding celebrations.
- The park staff will always be on hand to assist but their primary responsibility is to the park. They should not be regarded as waiters or waitresses, bartenders, or kitchen help. All caterers should come with a full complement of staff.
- Due to the limited space, it is suggested that bands of 3 to 5 members be selected, and musicians will be asked to keep the volume of music at a reasonable level. This will be left to the discretion of the staff on duty. Amplified music will not be allowed on the back patio. All outdoor music must be turned off by 11:00pm.
- There are 42 parking spaces available on the park property. If any additional parking is needed, please discuss this with staff as soon as possible. Additional spaces are usually available at the Thomasville Road Baptist Church, or the "Oven Park" Building next door, park staff will coordinate which lot is available for you.
- If you plan to use the Camellia Fountain area for your wedding activity please plan on using the white stakes available to mark the bed areas directing traffic to the pathways only. The Archway and Gazebo were donated and hold special significance, please do not mar the structures with staples or nails.
- Since outdoor bars and food tables usually attract heavy foot traffic, please be sure to place on the hard surface areas ONLY. This will help staff keep the grass areas green and plush.
- The park is constantly changing new plants are being added and new garden areas designed. The months of November and December traditionally have holiday lights installed. Please check with staff to see what is being planned in the park near the time of your special event.
- Measurements you may be interested in:
• Mantel - 6'10" long, 10" deep
• Front Brick Patio - square part 40' x 40'
• Banister - Pole 4', from pole to landing 11'
• Banquet tables - 29" high, 30" wide.
• Gazebo - width of stars 1'; from floor to top of stars 9',
• from outside post to outside post at ramp 5'5",
• inside post openings at either side of ramp 7'3",
• from the second front door to the round part of the brick walkway ~150 ft
• from the circle area to the gazebo ~60 ft. the circle is an 8' diameter.
• Fountain - From the house screen porch door to the entrance of the fountain ~171',
• the brick walkway to the fountain (as you make a right) ~48'.
We do not guarantee any of the numbers listed, and items sometimes get lost or broken. Please call in advance of your party to verify what we have on hand at that time.
- Tables are available for indoor and outdoor use; chairs are for indoor use ONLY.
• 8 - 60" round tables, 6 - 6' banquet tables, 4 - 48" round tables
• 3 - 36" card tables, 8 - 19" wide - 6' banquet tables, 4 - 8' banquet tables
• 70 - padded chairs (45 green and 25 burgundy)