DADE BATTLEFIELD STATE PARK

2 Chicas and the Seminole Massacre

2 Chicas decided to head over and check out the historic Dade Battlefield Historic State Park.  This little diamond is in Bushnell, FL, home to a National Cemetary as well.  Each January, the locals host a reenactment of Dade’s Battle.  This fight started because the Seminoles felt they were getting ripped off by being made to move out of Florida to Oklahoma. If you want to know more, come and check out the park even if there is no reenactment, but come knowing that the special activities below only happen during this special weekend. Once on site, there are interesting activities for children.  As it turns out, these activities are only here for the big battle reenactment. One of the activities for children involved making an interesting spinning toy comprised simply of a string and a circular piece of wood. The kids wind it up and when the ends are pulled, the wood spins up and down the strings.. Chica 2 had to be removed from one of the children's displays in order to make room for a bona fide child. There are a number of displays of old weapons such as tomahawks, bows and arrows, muskets, dried animal skins, etc.  The kids particularly enjoyed the various enactors roaming around the area in authentic gear.  There are old knives for sale and number of reproduced artifacts from the time. A woman has an area where she demonstrates how clothing was made during that time period. She really individualizes her display for the children showing them how the loom takes the thread and weaves it together to make fabric. The reenactment is very interesting. There are two narrators, one a Seminole Indian chief and the other an infantryman survivor of the battle. The Indian reenactors are enthusiastically shouting out in some language.  Chica 2 said she heard one of the Indians say “getchi getchi ya ya na na”! This is not a reenactment of Lady Marmalade Chica 2. A couple of times it did sound like the Indians were cussing, but the soldiers did curse for sure! (They were getting the bejezzles kicked out of them.) This is one loud fight! The muskets and canons smoke up and noise up the area. It is fun, but the survivor’s soliloquy at the end is a little long and drawn out.  A number of observers began to leave. Fun, food, and a loud outrageous fight ! What more could you ask?  2 Chics say mark your calendars with an X just like the ones on the soldier's chests!