Beautiful park for sure, serene. The museum was small but informative. No one was there to discuss the historical significance, but there were videos on a loop (I admit to not watching). The battlefield is just as described in the primary sources, which is really cool. The monuments are pretty clear in their support for the Confederacy and their victory after the Union retreat. I didn't see reference to the Union soldiers killed, particularly the two African American regiments that were the first on the battlefield. So, it tells a story, but not the whole story. Nor does it discuss the immediate aftermath of the battle, which was Confederate soldiers killing the wounded black soldiers on the battlefield, thus raising the kill count. Criticisms aside, I enjoyed my brief visit and would go back again to learn more and spend more time. Highly recommended read more

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Ranger Ellis was so kind and knowledgeable! We learned so much and appreciated the matter-of-fact presentation of north vs south that did not glorify one side or the other. Monuments and canon were clean and in good condition. It looks like there may be some building/museum improvements in the works but the sign is so faded I have no idea how long ago that was posted. Porto-potty and Porto-sink onsite were clean. Come prepared as I could not find potable water. read more

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Sad beauty. That about describes this piece of American history. Brother fighting brother, father fighting son, South versus North, a nation divided, that still today lingers. This battlefield is were a major battle occurred between the North and South. The heroes on both sides fought here. Come and read about our great nation during a horrendous time in our history. See the exhibits, walk the trails, relive history. If you do not leave with a new perspective of our nation something is wrong. I highly recommend this as a stopping point for all. Remember, this is a historical experience. PLEASE DO NOT DAMMAGE THE EXHIBITS OR STEAL PARTS. read more

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I like a random roadside stop, this one is darn good. We were doing a weekend stay in the area just for the heck of it. I had scouted the area seeing what to see and do and there wasn't much. But there was the Olustee park. I woke up fairly early on Saturday out of habit so we drove to the park to enjoy the morning. It was easy to find and I was the only one there. My dog was loving the park and all it's smells. I found the monument and stones with inscriptions commemorating the site to be very interesting. I kept exploring the site and came across the path that was to be hiked. Ever 50 yards or so there was another plaque explaining the battle that took place. It was fairly in depth and it did put me in the shoes of those soldiers, on both sides, as the conflict went down. I don't want to spoil the story, as I would recommend walking it and feeling the battle in the middle of a couple swamps go down. It's not near anything, Jacksonville is about an hour away, but that's because these 2 armies met in the middle of 2 camps. It's worth the drive though, and the site does transport you to another time. read more

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Multiple ancestors fought here on my family such an underrated civil war battle when it comes to interesting

I attended the 2017 battle reenactment at the park and really enjoyed it. The Battle of Olustee was one of the few--and most-crucial--Civil War battles fought in Florida. It was due in good part to this battle and its outcome that the Union did not attempt further to control Florida during the war, though they were able to control the port of Jacksonville. The reenactment is done at the highest levels of professionalism--I was awestruck by the care and detail as well as the authenticity of the reenactors' uniforms and care that went into the choreography of the battle itself. The cannons--of which there are plenty--not only fire but corresponding pyrotechnic devices exploded at where a cannonball would have landed and you really, seriously, feel for a moment that you're watching the actual battle. As the land around the battle site is a park and remains overall rather untouched, the addition of the embattled troops and their cannons and horses makes it very easy to imagine you've returned to that fateful day and are witnesses to part of the Civil War. While educational, it's also a very entertaining if somber event to watch. The Civil War didn't just affect soldiers fighting in battles of course and there are women and non-combatant townsfolk in the encampment, who also play their roles with great authenticity. I was impressed to see two women in example dressed as widows, as widows were alas quite common in the war. While many of the participants were expectedly older there were plenty who were young, including several teen boys who were portraying soldiers; I was really glad to see this as well because it was sadly a war that--like many wars--was fought as much by boys as by seasoned men. The battlefield park itself is mostly of note for where the battle was fought though there is a small museum and a moment erected in the 1910s to the battle. There is a separate monument erected to the memory of the Union casualties that were buried there--the men were buried in a mass grave basically on the battlefield and as far as is known, never moved elsewhere. If you come here at a time other than this reenactment, there are some things to see but really not that much. I would only suggest coming for the reenactment or otherwise just stopping if you happen to be in the area, but the rest of the year not sure it's worth a special trip. The food vendors were ok, mostly hamburgers and funnel cakes but most vendors were church or Scout groups so at least their mundane food is being sold to support good causes. The park rangers and reenactment participants did a great job though in producing a stunning, powerful, display of living history here. read more

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It's the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, so get out there and see some cool reenactments! I went to Olustee with my daughter's school group, and we had a blast. This is an annual event, so you'll have to wait until next year, but it is well worth the drive. (And odds are it is a drive from anywhere.) We started our day by visiting the various tents where vendors were selling civil war memorabilia, costumes, toys, you name it. We spent easily an hour in this area and picked up some pretty cool things. The whole time we met people in costume who were all more than happy to talk to you about anything war related (or costume-making in general). The battle itself was very interesting. We made our way to the battlefield about an hour before it was scheduled to start and were lucky to get seats on the bleachers, they filled up very early. During the battle there was an announcer explaining the action which made it easy to follow. It was noisy and explosive and a pretty good time. My only complaint... the food vendors. Oh dear, I just had the worst "Korean" egg roll of my life (however the "Korean" cannoli was surprisingly good). But anyway, that's just a tiny glitch in an otherwise lovely day. read more

Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park - Parks Near Me - Olustee, Florida

The battle reenactment is pretty darn cool. This park commemorates the site of Florida's largest Civil War battle, which took place February 20, 1864. More than 10,000 cavalry, infantry, and artillery troops fought a five-hour battle in a pine forest near Olustee. Three U.S. Colored Troops took part in the battle, including the now famous 54th Massachusetts. The battle ended with 2,807 casualties and the retreat of Union troops to Jacksonville until the war's end just 14 months later. In 1912, when many living Civil War veterans still attended reunions, the battlefield became the state's first historic site. Olustee Battlefield has a visitor center with historical information and artifacts. A reenactment is held every February and a Civil War Expo takes place in late summer. Scenes for Civil War movies, including the 1989 movie Glory, have been filmed during the reenactments. Visitors can enjoy a meal at the picnic area or take a walk along a mile-long trail that has interpretive signs describing the events of the battle. Located two miles east of Olustee on U.S. 90. read more

This is a small state park, but it's close to home so I am a fan. Google the Olustee Battle for the history. But if you'de rather come out, then there is a small visitor's building that plays a video on repeat all day. And there are a few pictures with a little history explanations. There is a small hiking trail. Now this trail can be a bit confusing. It is rather wide, so that is cool. and there are little history signs along the way. What I mean about confusing is, it does not offer enough arrows to point the way. And with several other 'trails' that intertwine 'the' trail', it can be very confusing. I ended up taking a 'wrong' right turn along the way and hiked about .5 mile outta the way. Not that I minded that at all because it was a beautiful day and I could use the exercise. So I suppose it is okay to get a little lost because you will eventually get outta there! I would avoid going just after any rain... unfortunately for me, it had just stormed the day before so much of the trail was under water. I wore my running shoes, and quickly regretted that! Wear your hiking boots/shoes just incase there is standing water! I managed to skirt the edges and even walked through some brush to avoid the water. Although that really wasn't enough because my poor running shoes got a little wet :( It is a quick hike, so if you are looking to really spend some time sweatin, this probably will not do it for you. Oh and at the visitors center, there are a few statues that have some history so don't miss checking those out. Also... they do have a reenactment of the battle once a year. And that my friends is definetly worth going to. The next reenactment will be February 13-15, 2015. So mark your calendars and go! The cost is $10 per adult and $5 for school age kids... preschool is free. They go all out for this battle reenactment, so go learn some history!!! read more