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Rainey Park Traditional Geocache

This cache has been archived.

Tatanka49: This one is too hard to maintain. I will look for another spot in the area.

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Hidden : 10/14/2007
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

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Geocache Description:

This cache is long plastic tube. High difficulty rating because it may be difficult to remove. Don't push too hard or you may lose it. Use nearby tools as needed. Bring your own pencil. Be sure to return the camo exactly as found. There are usually few muggles nearby but location is a 'turn around' place for cyclists. Park closes at 9 pm

RAINEY PARK
8.99 acres

Dr. Thomas Rainey (1824-1910), a resident of Ravenswood, Queens, spent 25 years of his life and most of his fortune advancing the construction of a bridge across the East River between Manhattan and Long Island City. Rainey had been one of the earliest and staunchest supporters of the project, and the burden of organizing and refinancing the company fell on him. Dr. Rainey lobbied around the country to get financial backing and a bridge franchise. However, the War Department, concerned that a bridge could interfere with the defense of New York and access to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, withheld approval. Most interest in the region was for another bridge between Brooklyn and Manhattan. The sparse population in Queens at the time raised further concerns of need and profitability, and the project lost steam by 1892.

After the consolidation of New York City in 1898, the project gained new momentum and the bridge was finally built at Queens Plaza, a few blocks south of the proposed location. On opening day in 1909, Dr. Rainey realized his dream as he crossed the new bridge with Governor Charles Evans Hughes. The Queensboro Bridge fulfilled its promise by tying the Borough of Queens into Greater New York and Rainey received a gold medal inscribed 'The Father of the Bridge.' On that day Rainey told the New York Times, "This is my bridge. . . . It is a grand bridge, much greater than the one I had in mind. It will be in service to thousands in the years to come."

The structure was named the Queensboro Bridge, but Rainey's contribution was not forgotten. On April 18, 1904, the City of New York acquired several acres of waterfront property through condemnation procedures. The concrete sea wall, is¨ built where the park meets the East River, was completed in 1912, by which time Rainey had passed away. To honor his public spirit, the city named the property Rainey Park.

This park is the largest in Ravenswood, once an exclusive neighborhood with spacious plots of land along Vernon Boulevard. The area was industrialized in the 1870's and has been so thoroughly transformed that Rainey Park has become something of an oasis among the factories that populate much the neighborhood. The riverside promenade and baseball fields makes Rainey Park a popular spot for picnicking and play. Volleyball is also hugely popular and many games can be found on any weekend day. Oaks, London Planes, and Callery Pear trees shade adorn this public greensward that one former Parks commissioner called "one of the prettiest parks in the system."

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

zbir gur jbbq naq fgvpx lbhe svatref va

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)