History in the Marking Part 1-Rensselaer County 1.1

The State Historic Marker Program closed in 1939 and with it its funding. Despite the advice to adopt a new marker shape, proportion, and color scheme, following the close of the State program in 1939, local individuals and local historical and governmental organizations continued to erect at their own initiative and expense "state" historic markers very similar to the originals. None of these similar looking markers - erected after 1939 and NOT by the State Education Department [1929-1939] - appear on the website.

• George R. Hamell
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• Ethnology Collections Manager
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• Research & Collections Division New York State Museum
  
  

The “History in the Marking Part 1” cache has 22 components. To get credit for this cache, you will need to complete 14 (part a) caches, which will lead you to an additional 7 (part b) caches, which will then lead you to what I have dubbed, the “Final Final”.

Here’s what you will be doing:

Part a

Part b

What the above means is that there is no way to cheat the system on this one! You will have to plot your points, and take the drive! The I.P. is the suggested beginning, generally for a good reason. Some trails end where others begin, so you may find yourself driving a bit more than you might have thought!!

For various locations, you will be asked to retrieve information from the “Title”, “Body”, or “Reference” portions. See the sign segments below to see what I am talking about.

For this sign, this is the title. Some titles may say, “Site of…” or have a long arrow pointing in one direction with a distance on the next line.

The body portion describes the event or dwelling that was near here.

The “reference” is a name I have given this portion. It usually states who put the sign up and sometimes when the sign was erected. This portion is often excluded from information gathering.

This, like the other HITM caches, has you collecting information from the signs you encounter on your voyage. This, UNLIKE the other HITM caches, has not been put in any particular order, except other than giving you the I.P. From there, it is up to you to plot your route.

Personally, Rensselaer County was my least favorite of the seven counties that comprise the HITM cache. A general lack of signs and quite a few missing signs made it a bit more challenging. Don’t let me mis-lead you about the signs. There are signs, but I did not think many people would want to travel out to Hoosick Falls or Stephentown. Also, the hiding spots are less historical. I thought I had one good spot, but Rusty O Junk beat me to the only Canal Lock in Rensselaer County with his “Stillwaters Run Deep” cache. I do, on the other hand, like the final for this location. Not due to any historical relevance, rather, it is just a nice area. Feel free to visit more of the surrounding trails than where I have you trek.

1. Sign(s) 1-Find the only date listed on this sign. Working from the last digit backwards, keep subtracting each prior number to find ‘i’.
2. Sign(s) 2-How many books were completed here? The answer equals ‘j’.
3. Sign(s) 3-Find the name of the person that once lived here in 1798. Count the letters in his first name and his surname. Subtract the lesser from the higher number. The result is ‘c’.
4. Sign(s) 4-From the first date listed in the body of this sign, use the third number to find ‘g’.
5. Sign(s) 5-Which district school is listed here? The district number equals ‘h’.
6. Sign(s) 6-Once at this sign, add together the District Number and the amount of rooms it had to find ,e’.
7. Sign(s) 7-Find the distance from this spot where this structure once stood. Divide that number by 100 to find ‘d’.
8. Sign(s) 8-There are two signs here. Retrieve the information that best answers each question requested below to find two more missing numbers for your quest:
   • From one of the signs, find out how locations Albert led forces in battle. This number equals ‘a’.
   • From the other sign, find the number of acres that are contained within this site. It consists of a whole number and a fraction. Subtract the first part of the fraction from the second part. The result equals ‘b’.
9. Sign(s) 9-Which numbers do not appear on this sign? Find the number, besides '1' that both are divisible by to find ‘f’.

The other caches are listed below.

Part a:

1. History in the Marking Part 1: Albany County 1.0
2. History in the Marking Part 1: Albany County 1.1
3. History in the Marking Part 1: Columbia County 1.0
4. History in the Marking Part 1: Columbia County 1.1
5. History in the Marking Part 1: Montgomery County 1.0
6. History in the Marking Part 1: Montgomery County 1.1
7. History in the Marking Part 1: Rensselaer County 1.0
8. History in the Marking Part 1: Saratoga County 1.0
9. History in the Marking Part 1: Saratoga County 1.1
10. History in the Marking Part 1: Schenectady County 1.0
11. History in the Marking Part 1: Schenectady County 1.1
12. History in the Marking Part 1: Schoharie County 1.0
13. History in the Marking Part 1: Schoharie County 1.1

Part b:

1. History in the Marking Part 1: Albany Final
2. History in the Marking Part 1: Columbia Final
3. History in the Marking Part 1: Montgomery Final
4. History in the Marking Part 1: Rensselaer Final
5. History in the Marking Part 1: Saratoga Final
6. History in the Marking Part 1: Schenectady Final
7. History in the Marking Part 1: Schoharie Final

Final Final

1. History in the Marking: Final Final
   

You can check your answers for this puzzle on Geochecker.com.

Disclaimer: You, and all members of your party must read and agree to the www.geocaching.com disclaimer. In addition, you all must agree to hold the cache owner, www.geocaching.com, and the landowners harmless from any and all causes for action. You and all other members of your party must individually and collectively determine your/their physical fitness and outdoors/hiking skill levels, decide whether or not to visit the various cache locations, and whether or not it is safe and prudent to do so under the conditions that will be encountered. Cache seekers assume all risks involved in seeking these cache locations.

People that do not wish to do a cache because of any danger they might perceive to be present is certainly within their right to not proceed. However you do not have the right to try to ruin the enjoyment of others in attempting a find that is beyond your capabilities, but not beyond theirs. This goes for almost every caching event there is. After all one might run into spiders, snakes, poisonous plants, trips and falls and the list goes on.

Safety First! .......Take a friend, Look out for others, take a cell phone if possible, watch where you're stepping, NEVER UNCOVER ANY CACHE WITH YOUR HANDS OR FEET, USE A STICK! If you feel uncomfortable in doing a cache, for any reason, just walk away!!!