Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park
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IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
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| Location | Baker County, Florida, USA |
| Nearest city | Olustee, Florida |
| Coordinates | 30°12′29″N 82°25′2″W / 30.20806°N 82.41722°WCoordinates: 30°12′29″N 82°25′2″W / 30.20806°N 82.41722°W |
| Established | 12 August 1970 |
| Governing body | Florida Department of Environmental Protection |
Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park is a Florida State Park in the Osceola National Forest, near the town of Olustee. The site of Florida's largest Civil War battle, the park is located 50 miles (80 km) west of Jacksonville and 15 miles (24 km) east of Lake City, on U.S. 90. It also has the distinction of being the first park in the Florida State Park system.
The State of Florida actually owns only 3.09 acres (12,500 m2) of the Park, but manages another 688 acres (2.78 km2) of the original battlefield under a Special Use Permit from the United States Forest Service.
Under the title of Olustee Battlefield, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on 12 August 1970.
The Battle of Olustee was fought on the afternoon of 20 February 1864. It is recreated annually during that month by Civil War reenactors.
In 1897, the Florida Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (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, Division of Recreation and Parks.
Year-round park activities include hiking, picnicing, and viewing interpretive displays. Amenities include a one-mile (1.6 km) hiking trail with interpretive displays, picnic tables and a small interpretive center about the battle. In addition, the Florida Trail goes through the Historic Site, with the Olustee Trailhead close to the main entrance on U.S. 90.
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