Dade Battlefield Historic State Park

Dade Battlefield Historic State Park preserves the central Florida landscape where Major Francis L. Dade's United States Army command encountered Seminole warriors on December 28, 1835. The battle became the opening engagement of the Second Seminole War, a prolonged conflict rooted in federal efforts to remove the Seminole people from Florida. The protected battlefield is also recognized as a National Historic Landmark.

Visitors can begin at the visitor center, where exhibits, artifacts and an interpretive film explain the battle and the wider Seminole Wars. Outdoors, the historic Fort King Road corridor, commemorative markers, reconstructed defensive features and trails through pine flatwoods and live-oak hammocks help place the events in their physical setting. Living-history programs and the park's annual battle reenactment provide additional opportunities to explore the experiences of the soldiers and Seminole people connected to the site.