GEORGE WASHINGTON put Morristown on the map in January 1777, when he and 3,000 troops marched in the then-village of 250 people and made it his winter headquarters. He stayed at Jacob Arnold's tavern while his troops stayed in villager's homes. He eventually returned to Morristown for the winter of 1779-80 with 13,000 soldiers, who survived a brutal winter in huts in Jockey Hollow while Washington stayed in the Ford Mansion in town. Both sites are part of the Morristown National Historic Park, and one of ten (10) National Heritage Areas located within the United States. The area in New Jersey encompasses 2,155 square miles, within 212 communities and 14 counties. This challenge takes you on a short historical tour of Morristown, from Washington onward.
This puzzle consists of solving a puzzle, in which the adventurer must visit ten (10) various waypoints throughout downtown Morristown. At each waypoint you’ll be asked to conduct a short field puzzle to find a particular number, marking, etc… which are indicated as variables A through J. These numbers, when combined in the equation at the end, will give you the final coordinates. Simple enough, it should be!
It is safe to assume the coordinates for the cache can be found at: N 40 A B . C D E; W 074 F G . H I J
Have fun with the cache, and I hope you will learn a little bit more about this historic town called Morristown. You can attempt this cache at night, but some of the information you'll be looking for may be very difficult to read after dark. Let's get on with the challenge! Thanks, and good luck! This cache has been placed with the consent of the Morris County Tourism Bureau, located at 6 Court Street, in Morristown, New Jersey.
1. Patriot’s Farewell Fountain - N 40° 47.810 W 074° 28.880 (Blue Question Mark - A Good Place to Start)
This sculpture called Patriots Farewell that sits atop a fountain on the West Park Place side of the historic “Green”. It depicts a militiaman saying farewell to his wife and son, accompanied by their horse and dog. A plaque on the fountain describes the sculpture as "A monument to the New Jersey militia and their families whose sacrifices created a strong and enduring nation." It was sculptured by Robert St. Croix and sits on a fountain designed by R.R. Deskovick.
What you need for Variable F: Observe all of the figures that comprise the sculpture. How many “feet” do you actually "see" touching the base of the sculpture. Divide that number by six for your answer.
2. The Alliance - N 40° 47.829 W 074° 28.849
This sculpture is called The Alliance. A group of life-size statues of George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and the Marquis de Lafayette, and represents the moment of Lafayette informing Washington and Hamilton on May 10, 1780, in Morristown, that the French were coming to support the American in the Revolutionary War. The sculpture was created by Studio EIS of Brooklyn.
What you need for Variable I: Find George Washington. Count the number of buttons on his jacket. Do NOT include the ones found on his vest. If you found 28 buttons use the number 4. If you counted 30 buttons, then I suggest the number 6. Perhaps you saw 34 buttons, so use the number 8 please.
3. Civil War Monument - N 40° 47.825 W 074° 28.830
The Civil War Monument, is entitled Soldier at Rest, was dedicated in the Morristown Green on July 4, 1871. The monument features an 8-foot full length white Quincy granite figure of a Civil War soldier surmounted atop a 50-foot white Quincy granite shaft, divided into three horizontal sections. At the bottom of the shaft on the front is a base-relief medallion. The base of the shaft stands on a series of steps. A cannon stands at each corner of the base, and is enclosed with a wrought iron fence. Inscriptions on the sides of the shaft list battles of the Civil War including Antietam, Vicksburg, Appomattox, Shilo, Wilderness, Malvern Hill, Roanoke, Winchester, Gettysburg, Atlanta, Donelson and Cold Harbor.
What you need for Variable E: Above the inscriptions, on the east facing side of the monument, a small Seal of New Jersey exists. How many letters make up the 14th word engraved below the seal?
4. Presbyterian Church on the Green - N 40° 47.830 W 074° 28.795
Established in 1733, this was the first congregation founded in Morristown. The current edifice (c. 1893) is the third on this site. The graveyard behind the church is the final resting place for over 1,700 individuals, including 138 whom served in the American Revolution. In 1777, the church served as a hospital for smallpox victims, and untold numbers of victims are believed to have been buried here in mass graves.
What you need for Variable G: To the east of the sanctuary, a small sun dial, made of marble, was donated by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1899. Look at the top of the sun dial (with Howard House in front of you) and find the flower on the face of the sun dial. The number directly to the right is your answer! (Error check: number of sides on base of the sun dial)
5. Morris Frank & Buddy - N 40° 47.875 W 074° 28.849
Who are Morris Frank & Buddy? A sculpture dedicated to the founder of “The Seeing Eye”, Mr. Morris Frank, and his German Shepard “Buddy”. This institution is located in nearby Morris Township and was North America’s first dog guide school, being established in 1929. The sculpture was created by J. Seward Johnson, and dedicated in 2005.
What you need for Variable B: Go over and visit “Buddy”. Don’t worry, he won’t bite. However, you will have to count all of his teeth, and divide this number by two (2) to get the required answer.
6. Patriot’s Memorial Frieze - N 40° 47.887 W 074° 28.857
Twelve medallions can be found on the Century 21 Department Store building, featuring the founders, and other important citizens of Morristown. Five of the twelve medallions depict persons interred in the Presbyterian Church that you previously visited. Among those featured are the Reverand Timothy Johnes, Jacob Arnold, Silas Condict, and Tempe Wick.
What you need for Variable C: Each of the medallions have a “year” associated with them. You must observe/visit each one in order to figure out the total number of “8’s” found on ALL of the medallions.
7. Arnold Tavern - N 40° 47.839 W 074° 28.902
This blue State of New Jersey heritage plaque marks the site where General George Washington's headquarters during the winter of 1777, following his victories at Trenton & Princeton. It was at this tavern where Washington issued the proclamation requiring all people in America to swear allegiance to the United States. The tavern was built in 1764 by Samuel Arnold, and operated as a tavern for 100 years.
What you need for Variable A: Just underneath the blue State of New Jersey heritage plaque is a small triangular sign. What is the last number in both years found on this sign?
8. Revolutionary Court House & Jail - N 40° 47.843 W 074° 28.876
The initial courthouse in Morristown, was a crude log structure, that was built in 1755 near the center of the Morristown Green. It also served as a jail until 1770 when a well was dug and a well sweep added to draw water. The pillory, a wooden framework with holes for the head and hands, in which an offender was imprisoned and exposed to public abuse, also stood nearby. In 1776 a second story was added to this courthouse plus a cupola and bell. Nothing but ancient prints of the building remain today. A rough hewn boulder, erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution, marks the site. This courthouse and jail served Morristown until 1827 when the present brick building was completed.
What you need for Variable D: What is the last digit in the year the spot was marked by the Morristown Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution?
9. First Baptist Church - N 40° 47.893 W 074° 29.017
This is the second oldest congregation in Morristown, established in June 1752. This is the fourth building for this congregation. The church was originally located on the Green and also served as a hospital for smallpox victims at the time of the American Revolution.
What you need for Variable H: Find the white marble block with the words Baptist Church engraved on it. Keep the block to your right, and approach the main entrance to the church, which is now directly in front of you. Count the number of stones in the archway located above the doorway. Next, count the number of steps leading directly up to the door. Subtract the number of steps, from the number of stones in the archway to find Variable H.
10. Morris County Court House - N 40° 47.879 W 074° 29.019
This is Morris County's third courthouse, being built in 1827, and is one of the best examples in New Jersey, of a public building in the Federal style. The wooden “Lady Justice” above the front entrance holds a scale to symbolize the balanced judicial system, and a sword to represent the protection of individual rights. Court Room One has been preserved to look as it did in 1827.
What you need for Variable J: Look for the Morris County historical marker near the base of the stairs leading up to the court house. How many letter “K”'s can be found on this marker?
You can check your solution in Geo Check to see of your solution is correct.
This is a log only cache container, and tweezers might come in handy when retrieving the log. Please take care with the removal and replacement of this cache, since it's located in a high muggle traffic area. Please replace it exactly as found!! NOTE: New hint as of 2/10/16!!!
This cache has been placed with the permission of the Morris County Tourism Bureau. Many thanks to this organization for the information provided, and the cache placement itself.
