Fort Clinch Protest 1976

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Fort Clinch in Fernandina Beach, FL is in a state park. In 1976, because of the bicentennial, it became the site of the first living history program in the Florida Park Service.

Since the fort was occupied by the Confederates for 1 year and the Union Army for 3 years the park service unsurprisingly decided to have the reenactors portray Union soldiers.

"Within days it seemed we had ignited another Civil War. The UDC and SCV were angered that we had permitted Yankees to occupy Fort Clinch."
-Jim Stevenson, My Journey In Florida's State Parks

The UDC and SCV apparently simmered down when they became aware that the park service would be holding an Olustee reenactment in 1977, which became an annual event and accurately depicted a Confederate victory.

 

[JeffBrooks]

Wasn't there a protest just a few years ago when it was proposed a Union monument be erected at Olustee?

 

[captaindrew]

Wasn't there a protest just a few years ago when it was proposed a Union monument be erected at Olustee?

I don't recall any protests at Olustee but there has been a long time complaint and push to add a Union monument in a more predominant place. There is one there in the cemetery.

 

[JeffBrooks]

I don't recall any protests at Olustee but there has been a long time complaint and push to add a Union monument in a more predominant place. There is one there in

Yeah, it was back in 2013. Not a protest at the battlefield itself, but at a town hall meeting.
https://www.wuft.org/news/2013/12/03/new-civil-war-monument-triggers-debate-in-lake-city/

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Wasn't there a protest just a few years ago when it was proposed a Union monument be erected at Olustee?

The original legislation for the Olustee monument in 1901 was to honor Confederate and Union soldiers. Then someone in the UDC remembered a large number of Union soldiers at Olustee were USCT, so the legislation was revised two years later.

Thus adding a Union monument at Olustee would, ironically, restore the original intention of the monument.

 

[JeffBrooks]

Thus adding a Union monument at Olustee would, ironically, restore the original intention of the monument.

Seems fair enough.