In the year 2000, a portion of the largest battleground of the Second Seminole War was purchased by the state and designated as Okeechobee Battlefield Historic State Park.

The battle occurred on Christmas Day of 1837 on the north shore of Lake Okeechobee.

Although the Seminoles retreated after 2-and-a-half hours of fighting, they inflicted serious casualties on Colonel Zachary Taylor’s men and the war continued another five years.

Archaeologist Bob Carr and his team from the Archaeological and Historical Conservancy led the effort to study and preserve the site, which was threatened by development.

Not only did they locate the battlefield, but they actually found the future President Zachary Taylor’s camp site. It is here that many of the wounded were treated and dead buried after the battle ended.

Some of the artifacts recovered that helped identify the camp include musket balls, gun barrels and other weapon fragments, as well as pewter General Service uniform buttons.

Written, narrated, and produced by the University of West Florida, the Florida Public Archaeology Network, and WUWF Public Media.