In late September of 1777 the British had seized the capital of the young United States, Philadelphia. General Washington led the Continental Army to retake the city but suffered nothing but defeat. His last gasp was the Battle of Germantown which pitted a bloodied Continental Army against a garrisoned force of British soldiers in a local mansion called Cliveden. Despite the best efforts of Washington the British held fast in the thick walled home eventually forcing him to withdraw leaving Philadelphia in British control for the rest of the war.
Over two hundred forty years later two mansions mark the spot of this historic battle. Cliveden (aka the Chew Mansion) where the British garrison held out against Washington's overwhelming numbers, and the newer Upsala. To claim this cache you'll need to identify the dedication year on a Pennsylvania state historical sign, marking the battle, and send it to me for verification (or take a picture with one of the mansions and yourself). The GZ coordinates should put you on the sidewalk in front of Cliveden / Chew Mansion.
The American forces muster in front of Upsala Mansion during the annual reenactment.
There is a stone monument commemorating the Delaware Regiment, on the front lawn of Upsala. Though the property was originally purchased some time in the 1740s the house wasn't built until well after the battle. A common misconception was the house was built in phases, with the front facade coming after the rear house. In fact the entire mansion was built at the same time in 1798. It remained a private residence for many years before passing to the historic trust which also holds ownership of the Cliveden. In 2017 the property moved into the hands of private owners who agreed to care for and restore the mansion as part of Philadelphia's historic past. They've been doing great work to preserve and enhance the property for the community (and think the idea of this cache is fantastic) , so please keep this in mind while snapping photos. No window peaking or roaming the grounds beyond the front yard!
The American's charge on the front of Cliveden during the annual reenactment.
The needed information is on a blue historical marker viewable from the public sidewalk in front of Cliveden, but located behind it's stone wall. Cliveden, also referred to as the Chew Mansion, was constructed in the 1760s and was the home of Benjamin Chew and his family. Prior to the battle, George Washington's men evacuated him and his family out of the city ahead of the advancing British Forces. As he was a key player in the revolutionary cause. This gave the British the perfect opportunity to seize the empty home, situated with excellent site lines on all sides, and withstand Washington's forces. After the war, and until the 1972 the home remained in the Chew Family before being transferred by them to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Two special notes to those seeking this cache in May or October. The first Saturday in each of these months holds a separate neighborhood event. The first Saturday in May is "Mt. Airy Day", a neighborhood street party free for all who want to attend. The first Saturday in October is the actual re-enactment of the Battle of Germantown itself! The information needed to claim this cache is freely available during both events, granted you may need to wait out a musket charge during the re-enactment to get close!
British reenactors marching down Germantown Avenue.
Virtual Reward - 2017/2018 This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between August 24, 2017 and August 24, 2018. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards on the Geocaching Blog.