Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Olustee Battlefield |
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| Location | Baker County, Florida, USA |
| Nearest city | Olustee, Florida |
| Established | 12 August 1970 |
| Governing body | Florida Department of Environmental Protection |
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Olustee Battlefield
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Olustee Battlefield monument
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | Baker County, Florida |
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| NRHP reference No. | 70000177 |
| Added to NRHP | August 12, 1970 |
The Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park is a special park in Florida. It's located inside the Osceola National Forest, close to the town of Olustee. This park is famous because it was the site of Florida's biggest Civil War battle, called the Battle of Olustee.
You can find the park about 50 miles (80 km) west of Jacksonville and 15 miles (24 km) east of Lake City, right on U.S. 90. It's also special because it was the very first park to join the Florida State Park system!
Even though the State of Florida only owns a small part of the park (about 3 acres or 1.2 hectares), it also manages a much larger area of the original battlefield. This larger area, about 688 acres (2.78 sq km), is managed through a special agreement with the United States Forest Service. The Olustee Battlefield was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on August 12, 1970.
History of the Battlefield
The important Battle of Olustee took place on the afternoon of February 20, 1864. Today, this battle is brought to life every year in February by Civil War reenactors. They dress up and act out the battle, showing visitors what it might have been like.
In 1897, a group called the Florida Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) started collecting money. Their goal was to build a monument at the battle site. Two years later, the Florida Legislature gave $2,500 and created a group to make sure the monument was built correctly.
The monument was finished in 1912. It was officially dedicated on October 23, 1912. The UDC managed the Olustee Battlefield Memorial until 1949. After that, the Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials took over. Today, the park is managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which is part of the Division of Recreation and Parks.
Fun Activities at the Park
You can enjoy many activities at Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park all year round. These include hiking, picnicking, and looking at special displays that explain the battle.
The park has a one-mile (1.6 km) hiking trail with signs that tell you about the battle. There are also picnic tables and a small center where you can learn more. The Florida Trail also passes through this historic site, and the Olustee Trailhead is near the main entrance on U.S. 90.
A group of helpful volunteers, called the Citizen Support Organization, helps the park. They organize the big annual reenactment.
Every February, during Presidents' Day weekend, thousands of reenactors come to the park. They travel from all over the U.S. and even from other countries to reenact the Battle of Olustee. They start arriving on Thursday to set up their camps. Friday is a special "School Day." Thousands of students visit to watch demonstrations and listen to historians. These historians talk about the Civil War and what life was like in the 1860s.
The public can visit on Friday (though there's no battle reenactment that day), Saturday, and Sunday. On all three days, you can explore the camps, watch demonstrations, and talk to the historians. You can also shop at many "sutler" tents, which sell Civil War-era items. The actual battle reenactments happen only on Saturday and Sunday. There's also plenty of modern food available from Friday through Sunday.
Park Hours
The park is open every day from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
