State to Acquire Historic Okeechobee Battlefield

“Preserving this important piece of Florida history will allow citizens and visitors to learn about this important battle of the Second Seminole War, and provide a place for the yearly reenactment of the event,” said Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Colleen M. Castille. “This purchase will protect one of Florida’s historical and cultural resources as well as wildlife habitat for threatened and endangered species.”

On Christmas Day in 1837, more than 1,000 U.S. Army and Missouri Volunteer soldiers led by Colonel Zachary Taylor attacked several hundred Seminoles and Miccosukees north of Lake Okeechobee. The battle resulted in the loss of 26 U.S. forces and 112 wounded, while 14 indigenous people lost their lives. The Okeechobee Battle was part of the Second Seminole War (1835 – 1842), a product of President Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Act that forbade indigenous people from living east of the Mississippi River. The Battle of Okeechobee was the war’s bloodiest fight.

The site is recorded in the Florida Master Site File, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in the 1960s and is now a National Historic Landmark site. In addition, the battlefield is recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of the top endangered historical sites in the U.S. Improved pasture and freshwater marsh provide the backdrop for a yearly reenactment of the battle, and provide habitat for the bald eagle, crested caracara and wood stork.

The 10-year, $3 billion Florida Forever program established by Governor Jeb Bush and the Florida Legislature conserves environmentally sensitive land, restores waterways and preserves important cultural and historical resources. For more information, visit www.FloridaForever.org.