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Camp Milton Historic Preserve in Jacksonville, Florida
If you've never visited the Camp Milton Historic Preserve local to Jacksonville FL, you're in for a treat. You'll walk among replica Civil War buildings and enjoy an annual costume reenactment. Wooded boardwalks provide easy access to historic buildings, and the museum is free to visit. Whether you're a history buff or simply want to learn more about Jacksonville's history, this preserve will not disappoint.
The first part of the preserve is an Earthen Fortress. The fortifications were built in 1864 to prevent the Union Army from spreading north. The land around it had become a sludge dump, but the City and state agencies saved the site. Now, you can stroll through the park among towering pines and bobcats. Reconstructed sections of the line stand near the original fortifications.
The historical fortifications at Camp Milton are no longer used for military purposes, but you can visit the site today. The historic site has many Civil War relics, including a reconstructed campaign bridge over McGirts Creek. The preserve also includes a 19th-century farm and a "rails-to-trails" project connecting it to other points of interest. You can hike or bike around the historic fortifications.
The natural landscape at Camp Milton includes dome swamps, basin swamps, and lakes. During your visit to this historic preserve, you can walk the trails to view wildlife and birds. You can observe little blue herons, snowy egrets, and tricolored herons. You can even observe endangered wood storks. There is so much to see at this site! You'll be glad you came.
When the Civil War ended, Camp Milton was the largest Confederate military encampment in Florida. It was also the site of numerous encounters between Union and Confederate armies. After falling under Union occupation in July 1864, the camp was named in honor of Florida's Civil War Governor, John Milton. The preserve is part of the Timucuan Trail Partnership and Preservation Project Jacksonville and is home to an interpretive/educational center. It also has a historic railroad line and a modern state-of-the-art museum.
The preserve is located near Jacksonville and is filled with many reenactors dressed in long, flowing period clothing. Re-enactors have come to the preserve over the past few months to educate children about the city in 1864. The preserve has welcomed more than 1,000 children every summer. And in addition to many of its fun benefits, it offers an interesting way to teach kids military history without boring them.
The preserve is a jewel of a site that is still mostly unknown to the general public. Camp Milton is a great destination for history buffs. A reenactment of the Battle of Olustee takes place on the site every February. The site has been open to the public since 2006, but other Civil War locations are being lost to development. Another notable area of the city is Blue Cypress Park. You might want to take a look.
