Earliest Memorial Memory

One of my earliest memories of visiting a memorial site is my 4^th grade class field trip to Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park. The park memorializes Florida’s largest civil war battle. On the field trip, our class witnessed a civil war reenactment. I remember how comical I originally found the situation, but later on I realized the importance and function of the event. At the time of the field trip I did realize the power of the reenactment, or even the location.

Since the field trip I have driven past the park multiple times, always remembering my field trip. Now I look back at the reenactment as a powerful memorial to the war, rather than a comical event. One of the most influential aspects responsible for my change in attitude is the sheer number of people who travelled to reenact the event. Now, having a greater understanding of what I was actually witnessing in the 4^th grade, the event which I once thought hysterical, now serves as a reminder to those who died defending our shared home state: Florida.

-Chris Buckingham