This cache is dedicated to the memory of "Snowball" .,a female polar bear that was brought to Springfield's Forest Park Zoo in 1951. Air force Captain William Mcgeary had traded a box of fish hooks to an Inuit for the orphaned 3 month old cub. Snowball brought from Labrador,Canada to Westover Airforce Base in Chicopee,Mass. When she first arrived at the zoo as a transferred orphan from Canada , she was a mere 25 pounds. Quickly, Snowball grew to be over 600 pounds. The zoo had a concrete home built for her with chainlink fencing keeping her enclosed on top and sides. As an extra precaution they had a railing that surrounded the entire cage area that held viewers back about 8 feet from the chainlink fence. However, in 1972 ., a teenage girl foolishly climbed through the outer railing and reached her arm into the chainlink cage. Another case of a child not being properly watched by parents. A nearbye policeman shot the bear in an eye , the bear survived & died about 7 years later at the age of 29. Snowball was donated to the Springfield Science Museum, where she can be seen on display. This cache is about the size of an orange, or a "snowball", lol. Like Snowball, the polar bear , it's winter friendly. I hope that you enjoy this beautiful area of the park!