Alexander Blair (1877-1975), was the resident engineer who designed and supervised the construction of the Red Hill Estate for John A. Roebling II during 1930-1941. Blair was born in Cheshire, England, and studied civil engineering at Liverpool Institute.

He worked as a surveyor’s assistant while studying engineering in England and served with the British Royal Engineer Corps in England and France during World War I. He immigrated to the United States in 1919 and took a job with the New Jersey Highway Department, Bridge Division, and later became City Engineer for Westfield, New Jersey, where he worked until 1927. In 1929, he was hired by Roebling to fulfill his dream of a building a country estate near Lake Placid, Florida.

Blair designed and constructed all of the major buildings, fences, roads, and a railroad siding, and provided the estate with electric power and fresh water. He provided for several temporary wooden construction buildings, 6 poured-concrete buildings and a 75,000-gallon water-storage tank.

Blair belonged to a number of professional organizations, including the American Association of Engineers, and served for a time as President of the Florida Engineering Society. He also served as President of the Highlands Hammock State Park Advisory Council for 35 years (1935-1970) and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Environmental Council of Highlands County.