This Cache is placed as part of the New York State Park Saratoga/Capital District Regional Geocache Challenge. There are 60 geocaches hidden within 18 state parks and historic sites in this parks region, and geocachers finding 40 or more will be eligible to enter their names in a drawing for valuable prizes. The first 75 people to find 40 or more caches will receive a special geocache challenge coin. If you are interested in trying the challenge, you can pick up a geocache passport at any of the participating parks and sites or download it at www.nysparks.com
This cache contains a unique stamp which must stay with the cache. Use this stamp to mark your passport. This stamp is NOT a trade item. Some of the items in the cache are park souvenirs and do not need to be replaced with a trade item.
The Van Rensselaer Family, being one of the leading families in the Hudson River Valley, commonly allowed officers to use their home during wartime. This was the case during the French and Indian War and Richard Shuckburgh, a British Army Surgeon, was encamped at the residence in 1758. Robert van Rensselaer, an 18 year old boy at the time, claims he witnessed Shuckburgh composing the lyrics to a popular melody of the day. Those lyrics are still popular today as “Yankee Doodle.” This fun song, often sung by school children, was a playful jab at the militia streaming in from New England. Shuckburgh’s obituary said he was “a gentleman of very genteel family and of infinite jest and humor.” If the Yankee Doodle song is any indication, then he must have been a fun guy.
Yankee Doodle went to town
A-riding on a pony,
Stuck a feather in his cap
And called it macaroni.
Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy,
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls be handy.