Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park is a

Florida State Park There are 175 state parks and 9 state trails in the U.S. state of Florida which encompass more than , providing recreational opportunities for both residents and tourists. Almost half of the state parks have an associated local 501(c)(3) non-pr ...

in the

Osceola National Forest Osceola National Forest is a National Forest located in northeast Florida. Osceola National Forest was created by President Herbert Hoover's proclamation on July 10, 1931. It is named in honor of the noted Seminole warrior, Osceola. The fore ...

, near the town of

Olustee Olustee may refer to: * Olustee, Alabama, a populated place near in Pike County, Alabama * Olustee, Florida, a town in Baker County, Florida **Battle of Olustee, the largest battle fought in Florida during the American Civil War ** Olustee Creek, ...

. The site of Florida's largest

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

battle, the

Battle of Olustee The Battle of Olustee or Battle of Ocean Pond was fought in Baker County, Florida on February 20, 1864, during the American Civil War. It was the largest battle fought in Florida during the war. Union General Truman Seymour had landed troops a ...

. The park is located west of

Jacksonville Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

and east of Lake City, on

U.S. 90 U.S. Route 90 or U.S. Highway 90 (US 90) is an east–west major United States highway in the Southern United States. Despite the "0" in its route number, US 90 never was a full coast-to-coast route. With the exception of a short-lived ...

. It also has the distinction of being the first park in the Florida State Park system. The State of Florida actually owns only of the Park, but manages another of the original battlefield under a Special Use Permit from the

United States Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...

. Under the title of Olustee Battlefield, it was added to the

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

on 12 August 1970.

History

The

was fought on the afternoon of 20 February 1864. It is recreated annually during that month by

Civil War reenactors American Civil War reenactment is an effort to recreate the appearance of a particular battle or other event associated with the American Civil War by hobbyists known (in the United States) as Civil War reenactors, or living historians. Althoug ...

. In 1897, the Florida Division of the

United Daughters of the Confederacy The United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) is an American neo-Confederate hereditary association for female descendants of Confederate Civil War soldiers engaging in the commemoration of these ancestors, the funding of monuments to them, ...

(UDC) began raising funds to place a monument at the battle site. Two years later, the Florida Legislature appropriated $2,500.00 and established a commission to oversee construction of the monument. The project was completed in 1912, and the monument was officially dedicated on 23 October 1912. The UDC administered the Olustee Battlefield Memorial until 1949, when the Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials assumed responsibility. Today the Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park is administered by the

Florida Department of Environmental Protection The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) is the Florida government agency responsible for environmental protection. History By the mid-1960s, when the federal government was becoming increasingly involved in initiatives design ...

, Division of Recreation and Parks.After The Battle of Olustee
Battle Of Olustee Web site. Last accessed 2010-04-16

Recreational activities

Year-round park activities include

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

picnicking A picnic is a meal taken outdoors ( ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event such as preceding ...

, and viewing interpretive displays. Amenities include a one-mile (1.6 km)

hiking trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. The ...

with interpretive displays, picnic tables and a small interpretive center about the battle. In addition, the

Florida Trail The Florida Trail is one of eleven National Scenic Trails in the United States. It currently runs , from Big Cypress National Preserve (between Miami and Naples, Florida along the Tamiami Trail) to Fort Pickens at Gulf Islands National Seashore, ...

goes through the Historic Site, with the Olustee Trailhead close to the main entrance on U.S. 90. The park has a very active Citizen Support Organization of volunteers who put on an annual reenactment. On Presidents' Day weekend each February (see Notes), thousands of reenactors from across the U.S. and even from overseas come to the Park to reenact the Battle of Olustee. Reenactors begin arriving as early as Thursday to set up. Friday is designated "School Day" as thousands of students arrive to spend the day watching demonstrations and listening to living historians discuss various aspects of the war and as well as life in the United States during the 1860s. The public is invited to attend on Friday (no battle reenactment), and on Saturday and Sunday. On all three days visitors can tour the camps, view demonstrations, interact with living historians, shop at numerous sutler tents for authentic Civil War merchandise, and attend the battles reenacted on Saturday and Sunday only. A large selection of modern-day food is continuously available from Friday through Sunday at the park.Olustee Battlefield Reenactment
Battle Of Olustee Web site. Last accessed 2010-04-16

Hours

The park is open between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM every day.

Notes

References

Battle of Olustee Web site

External links

Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park
a
Florida State Parks

Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks

a
National Register of Historic Places

Baker County listings
a
Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs

Facebook fan site for the park

Battle of Olustee website
* {{authority control American Civil War battlefields Parks in Baker County, Florida Florida in the American Civil War State parks of Florida Conflict sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Florida Museums in Baker County, Florida American Civil War museums in Florida Protected areas established in 1970 Osceola National Forest 1970 establishments in Florida National Register of Historic Places in Baker County, Florida American Civil War on the National Register of Historic Places United Daughters of the Confederacy