This cache is one of a series of twenty-five caches placed for
the 2008
Susquehanna Sojourn. The purpose of the Sojourn,
sponsored by the Alliance for
the Chesapeake Bay, is to call attention to the
issues facing the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. We are happy
that you are on the Susquehanna River and hope you enjoy your
exploration. We'd love you to join the Susquehanna
River Trail Association whose goal is to increase
public access to the Susquehanna and to promote watershed
stewardship.
From June 15-21, 2008, the series is only available to
Sojourners. Each Sojourner is given a passport to be stamped by the
unique rubber stamps found in each cache. If, at the end of the
Sojourn, a Sojourner has at least 12 different stamps in his/her
passport, he/she is rewarded with a limited issue commemorative
coin.
On June 22nd, 2008, the series of caches becomes available to
all geocachers. You too are a "sojourner" and can "earn" a coin,
while they last. First get a passport, available at the Steuben County
Conference and Visitors Bureau in Corning or
the Chemung County
Chamber of Commerce in Elmira, which you'll stamp
with the unique rubber stamp found in each cache. Collect 12 or
more stamps in your passport to receive a Sojourn coin.
Technically, this one is more difficult to get to if traveling
by water. But since the 2008 Susquehanna
Sojourners are spending one night camping here, we
thought they might like to stretch their legs a bit. The French
Azilum Historic Site allows the public to land at their river
access and even walk up to use their restroom facilities without
paying the admission fee. But I request as a courtesy
that later arriving river-caching
sojourners please contact the site to clear any walk-through
from the river access. (LINK) Expect ~1.25 - 1.75 miles of walking
if you are a river paddler.
The cache contains some small trades & a unique Susquehanna
Sojourn stamp. Please remember to return the
stamp to the cache when done. And don't forget to bring
a pen to do the math! Besides the Sojourn sticker, there is a
French Azilum ceramic ornament for the Sojourner FTF'er. It
will either be attached to the outside of the cache or hidden very
close by.
SOLVING FOR FINAL COORDS: Nothing is actually hidden at
the posted coords. From the area of the posted coords, you will see
the entrance sign to French Azilum. There is a year posted on the
sign (NO SPOILER PICS, please). You will also notice a split rail
fence running along the entrance driveway & a farm field.
POSTED COORDS are: N41 AB.CDE, W076 18.FGH
LAST 3 DIGITS IN YEAR ON SIGN = JKL
FINAL COORDS are: N41 MP.QRS, W076 18.TUV
MP.QRS = (AB.CDE - 0.JKL) + 0.624
TUV = (FGH + "number of vertical fence posts") - 29
Only count fenceposts in the actual fence, do not include posts
used for the entrance "gate." If your eyes are like mine, you can
get away with the count being off a few.
The French Azilum Historic Site is a member of the
Endless Mountains Heritage Trail. The historic site
documents a fascinating & romantic bit of PA history, when it
was an "azilum" for French Royalist exiles from 1793-1803.
It contains over 20 acres of the original French settlement. While
no original buildings still exist, one foundation has been left
exposed for viewing and a reconstructed & relocated log cabin
(c. 1790) contains a small museum with settlement artifacts.
You can also tour LaPorte Farm outbuildings & LaPorte
House, built in 1836 by John LaPorte, a son of
one of the original French settlers. LaPorte House has wall
decorations & furnishings reflecting the tastes of the
settlement era.
In addition, the site has a picnic pavilion and a
nature trail along the riverbank. Rustic camping is
available by prior arrangement for a fee. An added bonus is a
Bald Eagle nest directly across the river from the site's
private river access. The nest is best viewed from the
elevation of the historical site and as of mid-May contained 2
eaglets. The cache is available year-round, as you do not
have to enter to solve for coords or to find the cache. But if you
are interested in seeing & learning more of the history, you
can find info on hours of operation & admission fees
(for walking the grounds and / or touring LaPorte House) here:
(LINK)
Partly inspired by the American Revolution, the French
Revolution began in 1789. However, it quickly descended
into a power struggle known as "The Reign of Terror." Those
deemed counter-revolutionaries were accused, tried & executed
by the Committee of Public Safety, led by Maximilien
Robespierre. And as we know, the guillotine was the
method of choice for execution. The bloodshed escalated after the
execution of King Louis XVI in Jan. 1793 and Queen Marie
Antoinette in Oct. 1793. It is estimated that 40,000 died
during "The Terror."
Many French moderates & Royalists fled to other countries.
Some also were fleeing the French colony of Santo Domingo
(Haiti) due to violent slave uprisings. A small band of exiles made
it to this area, starting in late Fall 1793. Originally
known as Missicum, the "Meadows" to Native Americans &
as Standing Stone to the settlers from Connecticut (due to
the stone landmark just upstream), the exiles renamed this pretty
horseshoe bend in the Susquehanna as "Azilum", now
Aslyum.
1600 acres were purchased with the financial help of
Franco-American Stephen Girard of Philadelphia and PA
Senator Robert Morris. The refugees traveled up the river in
60' Durham boats & dugout canoes furnished by the trader
Matthias Hollenback, a survivor of the Wyoming Valley
Massacre. They were led by Marquis Antoine Omar Talon, a
former chief justice and head of the royal secret service and
Viscount Louis de Noailles, American Revolutionary War
veteran & brother-in-law to the famous Lafayette. 300
acres were laid out in a town plot. There was a 2 acre town square
with a gridiron of wide streets leading from it, novel at the time.
A chapel, schoolhouse, small shops, theater, gristmill,
blacksmith's shop, distillery and houses eventually sprung up,
totaling 50 structures. Most of the houses were crude, but had
little extravagances such as wallpaper, window glass, shutters and
even furnishings such as a piano to suit the French tastes. The
largest building was "La Grande Maison," a 2 story log house
measuring 84' long by 60' wide. Romantic legend says it was meant
for Marie Antoinette, but unlikely given how early she was
executed.
Prominent visitors to Azilum included Louis Philippe, Duke of
Orleans and future King of France in 1796. Another famous
visitor was Talleyrand, future foreign minister to
Napoleon & Louis XVIII and ambassador to Louis
Philippe. They observed deputies, clerics,& military
officers now being shopkeepers, innkeepers, & farmers. Some
adjusted well, others didn't. Loss of financial support, hostility
from the local Americans, nostalgia for the "old life," and pardon
by Napoleon led the settlers to drift away by the late
1790's. Many went south to Charleston, Savannah, & New
Orleans. Some eventually returned to France. But the
Homets, LaPortes, Lefevres, D'Autremonts, Keatings, &
Brevosts chose to stay. Their legacy lives on in the Northern
Tier's town names Frenchtown, Asylum Twp., Laporte, Homet's Ferry,
Coudersport, Smethport, Roulette, Keating & Dushore.
But I must warn you, this area may be haunted by the souls of
those who never found Azilum...
Sources: Historic Pennsylvania Leaflet No. 11 by the PA
Historical & Museum Commission; writings of Rev. David Craft
& J.W. Ingham as recorded on "Tri-Counties Genealogy &
History by Joyce M. Tice" website; "LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY:
EXPLORING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION" website by George Mason University
& City University of NY
Congratulations to Cojette for
being the Sojourner FTF'er!
And very special congratulations to yurtles for being the non-Sojourner FTF'ers & 1st
to earn their Sojourn coin! I can't think
of any cachers more deserving!
Thank you to all who made this water-based
Geo-Trail possible. Especially to all the cachers, particularly
yurtles for organizing it, the Reviewers, and on this
one, ferret123 for lending his mapping gps'r.
If the Sojourn Stamper is locked, just slide the orange tab
on the side. Thank you!