Monuments Olustee Monument Controversy today

[The Confederate]

How is the situation at Olustee today? Will the monument be built?

 

[Barnesville Blues]

I don't know the answer to your question. Let me say however that as a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, I do not stand with them on this issue and I have made the matter known to the commander of the camp that I am a member of. I am against the removal of Confederate Memorials but I certainly don't see anything wrong with honoring union soldiers, in fact I encourage it. So I hope this memorial does get built.

 

[nitrofd]

I live about an hour from Olustee,and after the uproar that was started when the controversy started and was on the news all the time,it has just seemed to have faded away.

 

[ForeverFree]

How is the situation at Olustee today? Will the monument be built?

Refer to this:

Conflict over Union monument at site of historic Olustee battle on 'back burner'
Friday, July 24, 2015
By Margie Menzel, The News Service of Florida

The addition of a Union monument at Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park will be addressed in 2017.

The Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park was the center of an outcry in late 2013, when the state held a hearing on a plan to place a Union memorial there. But now, the site of Florida's largest Civil War battle — a Confederate victory — might have a peaceful solution in the works.

more...​

- Alan

 

[Barnesville Blues]

I live about an hour from Olustee,and after the uproar that was started when the controversy started and was on the news all the time,it has just seemed to have faded away.

Like most things...the media whips everyone into a frenzy then moves on to something else...I still hope the monument gets built.

 

[nitrofd]

Refer to this:

Conflict over Union monument at site of historic Olustee battle on 'back burner'
Friday, July 24, 2015
By Margie Menzel, The News Service of Florida

The addition of a Union monument at Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park will be addressed in 2017.

The Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park was the center of an outcry in late 2013, when the state held a hearing on a plan to place a Union memorial there. But now, the site of Florida's largest Civil War battle — a Confederate victory — might have a peaceful solution in the works.

more...​

- Alan

This was a year and a half ago and nothing has happened edsince.

 

[ForeverFree]

Like most things...the media whips everyone into a frenzy then moves on to something else...I still hope the monument gets built.

I don't know if I would put it that way. It seems that the suggestion to build a Union monument marker on the site whipped certain people into a frenzy, which the media reported.

It does look like the frenzy stopped any plans for a Union marker in the short run. But it looks like Florida's Department of Environmental Protection, which has management over monuments and such, will revisit the issue in 2017.

- Alan

 

[ForeverFree]

This was a year and a half ago and nothing has happened edsince.

Correct, but the article notes that

Meanwhile, the Department of Environmental Protection has no immediate plans to touch the matter. Department spokesman Jason Mahon wrote in an email, "The potential of a Union monument at Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park as well as any other updates at the park will be addressed when the park's Unit Management Plan is updated in 2017."​

Of course, it remains to be seen if anything will happen in 2017.

- Alan

 

[Barnesville Blues]

I don't know if I would put it that way. It seems that the suggestion to build a Union monument marker on the site whipped certain people into a frenzy, which the media reported.

It does look like the frenzy stopped any plans for a Union marker in the short run. But it looks like Florida's Department of Environmental Protection, which has management over monuments and such, will revisit the issue in 2017.

- Alan

Maybe but I find that the media usually at the very least makes matter worse, intentional or not. I honestly never understood the point of not wanting a monument to Union soldiers at Olustee...don't most civil war battlefields have monuments to both?? A a native born Georgian who had 11 ancestor serve in the Confederate Army, I have no problem at all honoring the brave men who fought for the union... except for that one fellow who shot my ancestor in the foot..causing it to be amputated...but alas...I don't know his name. joking of course.

 

[nitrofd]

Correct, but the article notes that

Meanwhile, the Department of Environmental Protection has no immediate plans to touch the matter. Department spokesman Jason Mahon wrote in an email, "The potential of a Union monument at Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park as well as any other updates at the park will be addressed when the park's Unit Management Plan is updated in 2017.​

Of course, it remains to be seen if anything will happen in 2017.

- Alan

There is a lot more to it then that.Olutee is in Baker County which is a small rural county and things really don't change much,in other words it's a good old boy county,of which you may not be familiar with as to the way things work.I know two people involved about this and war they have said and done I will not post on the internet.if a union monument is tp be placed their it will not happen anytime soon.

 

[CMWinkler]

There should be a Union marker erected, it just should not be placed on that portion of the land donated to honor Confederates. I, too, hope it's erected.

 

[ForeverFree]

There should be a Union marker erected, it just should not be placed on that portion of the land donated to honor Confederates. I, too, hope it's erected.

Isn't the issue that, to some folks, all of the park land is supposed to be used to honor Confederates?

Expired Image Removed
This says Olustee Battlefield. But many say it is Confederate memorial park at Olustee Battlefield.

Many park sites, like Gettysburg and Vicksburg, have monuments to CSA and USA military men. I think the issue is that some feel that none of this park can be used for the placement of a Union marker.

I think. Can anybody clarify?

- Alan

 

[CSA Today]

There should be a Union marker erected, it just should not be placed on that portion of the land donated to honor Confederates. I, too, hope it's erected.

It is my understanding that the SCV leadership doesn't oppose a Union monument at Olustee, what they do oppose is that such a marker being placed "on that portion of land donated to honor Confederates".

 

[nitrofd]

There is a new complicated problem involving the true ownership of the land and the state given the right for management of all the property.the will allow a monument to be placed opposite U.S.90 ,but this would put the monument outside of the park.i have never seen anyone at Opiates the several times I have been there.the Oly time people a there is for the reenactment held every February during President Day Weekend.when the women in charge is no longer involved I do believe their will be a simple resolution to this problem.

 

[ForeverFree]

It is my understanding that the SCV leadership doesn't oppose a Union monument at Olustee, what they do oppose is that such a marker being placed "on that portion of land donated to honor Confederates".

Does anybody know how much of the land is dedicated to honoring Confederates?

There is a new complicated problem involving the true ownership of the land and the state given the right for management of all the property.the will allow a monument to be placed opposite U.S.90 ,but this would put the monument outside of the park.i have never seen anyone at Opiates the several times I have been there.the Oly time people a there is for the reenactment held every February during President Day Weekend.when the women in charge is no longer involved I do believe their will be a simple resolution to this problem.

From what you're saying, all of the park is 'dedicated' to Confederate commemoration, thus requiring the marker to be placed outside the park.

- Alan

 

[CMWinkler]

Isn't the issue that, to some folks, all of the park land is supposed to be used to honor Confederates?

Expired Image Removed
This says Olustee Battlefield. But many say it is Confederate memorial park at Olustee Battlefield.

Many park sites, like Gettysburg and Vicksburg, have monuments to CSA and USA military men. I think the issue is that some feel that none of this park can be used for the placement of a Union marker.

I think. Can anybody clarify?

- Alan

I'm certainly no expert but my recollection is that the proposed site for the Union marker was in the the area originally donated for purposes of the Confederate monument located there. There are other areas of the battlefield site outside this area where a Union marker, memorial or monument could be placed. Frankly, there needs to be a Union marker at the park. I fully support one being placed there. It is an important part of telling the story of the battle and would make an excellent place to honor the USCT.

 

[CSA Today]

Does anybody know how much of the land is dedicated to honoring Confederates?



From what you're saying, all of the park is 'dedicated' to Confederate commemoration, thus requiring the marker to be placed outside the park.

- Alan

The pro-union group wants to put their monument at what is now the visitor center and where the three Confederate monuments are located. There are plenty of room elsewhere in the park for the group to put their monument. A good place would be just off the road leading into the park toward the visitor center.

 

[matthew mckeon]

We had a previous thread on this about the time it first came up. There was considerable verbal fireworks from some of the SCV people about a "darth vadar" like "massive black shaft" honoring the mostly USCT troops on the Union side. The chin scratching about "placement" came up a bit later.

I don't know about dedicated purposes, but the taxpayers of Florida are footing the bill for maintaining the park nowadays. As far as forcing the Union marker off site, you know, separate but equal and all, it would be cringeworthy if the participants were a little more self aware.

 

[nitrofd]

The park is about 300 acres,they have no objection to a monument being place opposite the park across U.S90.the park was donated as a Confederate memorial park given to the state to maintain,that is why there is no objection to the monument across the 2 lane highway.in dispute is who actually has clear title t the land.if the people behind the union monument want to go to the legal system to clean up the problem they may get there wish but it would be a long time coming and costt thousand of dollars.

 

[AndyHall]

We had a previous thread on this about the time it first came up. There was considerable verbal fireworks from some of the SCV people about a "darth vadar" like "massive black shaft" honoring the mostly USCT troops on the Union side. The chin scratching about "placement" came up a bit later.

The other part of the original discussion that, in my view, badly undermines the SCV's position is that they straight-up misrepresented the nature of the existing monument. The Florida Division Commander at the time, Jim Davis, issued a public statement that "the 1912 monument is dedicated to the memory of the men who fought for the Union and the Confederacy." That is a blatant untruth; this is the text of the dedication on the monument:

To the men who fought and
Triumphed here in defense
of their homes and firesides.
This monument is erected
by the United Daughters
of the Confederacy aided
by the State of Florida.
In commemoration of their
devotion to the cause of
Liberty and State Sovereignty
MCMXII​

That's not a dedication "to the memory of the men who fought for the Union and the Confederacy," and Davis surely knows better. If the head of the state division of the SCV is going to put forward that sort of misinformation -- deliberately, I believe -- it's very hard for me to trust anything that group says on this issue. Fool me once, etc.