ABOUT THE OKEECHOBEE BATTLEFIELD
The final Battle
of Okeechobee has not yet been won. The National Trust for Public
Lands identified the Okeechobee Battlefield as one of America's most
endangered historic sites, due to the encroachment by roads, homes and
commercial development. The Okeechobee Battlefield was placed on
the National Registry of Historic Places in the 1960's, and the 640-acre
site is a National Landmark, dedicated in 1939 by a bronze plaque on a concrete block placed by the Daughters of the American Revolution.
The State of Florida
has purchased a 145 acre parcel of the original battlefield as a state
park. The Okeechobee Battlefield Historic State Park is in the Unit Plan
process thru DEP and the Park Service. The final public hearing for the
management plan is tentatively scheduled for Summer/Fall of 2008. This
plan will give the Park Service direction for development of the Park
and documentation for requesting funding from the State legislature.
The Okeechobee
Battlefield Friends, Inc are a support organization for the Park and coordinate the Annual
Battlefield Re-enactment on this portion of the original battlefield
site the first weekend of February. The
re-enactment serves to heighten public awareness for this
historic battle and the battlefield's plight as we strive to create a
battlefield park. The festival's success is a gauge of the
public's willingness to support a future battlefield park and for this
we thank all participants.
You Can Help! Support
the Okeechobee Battlefield Friends by volunteering to help with the
Re-enactment, attending the event, donating funds to support the
activities of the Friends, and contacting your legislators to provide
funding for development of the Park. Your assistance will be appreciated
not only by the Okeechobee Battlefield Friends, but by the future
generations who learn of our Florida history thru this historic state
park.
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