Dade Battlefield State Park – Where the 2nd Seminole War started

The Dade Battlefield State Park in Bushnell, FL is the site of the first battle of the 2nd Seminole War.  Federal soldiers on the trek from Fort Brook in Tampa to…

Fort King in Ocala were ambushed by a group of Seminoles.  The Seminoles had been told that they would be moved to a reservation in Oklahoma.  The chief who was part of this raid had made the trip to see these new lands and was not impressed with what he saw.  He did not want to move his people away from their home in Florida.   This raid left only one living soldier who told the story when he made his way back to Fort Brook. 

This is a very interesting re-enactment as they have 2 narrators, the Seminole chief and the one soldier who survived.   This do this re-enactment every year on the first weekend in January.   Besides the battle, they have camps for both the soldiers & the Seminoles, vendors, children’s games from the period and craft demos.

This is a fairly short trip from the Tampa area  & is a great history lesson for adults & children alike.   There are plenty of photo opportunities.    Check the Dade Battlefield Society’s website for more info.

That is all for now!

Happy travels!

Lynn