Happy Thanksgiving, Ocala!
Another geocache in our Marion County Holiday series. Throughout 2020 and 2021, Jacob§mall is hiding caches for many of the holidays. Hopefully you will be able to find them as each holiday occurs or perhaps in future years on the indicated holiday (or anytime throughout the year).
"Happy Thanksgiving, Ocala!" celebrates Thanksgiving and its origins and legend.
The First Thanksgiving
What many know as The First Thanksgiving, which occurred in the Fall of 1621, involved the Pilgrims from Plymouth, including Edward Winslow, Governor William Bradford, and Captain Myles Standish, along with perhaps nearly 100 Wampanoag, including Chief Massasoit. This time of giving thanks was actually three days. While there is very little account of that feast, a letter written by Edward Winslow dated 11 December 1621 mentions the occurrence. Additional details of this time were written by Governor Bradford and included in “Of Plymouth Plantation.” The first known reference to this feast as the first thanksgiving was by editor Alexander Young.
From the brief description of the feast and from what is believed to be known about the area and time period, we can imagine what that first menu might have included. Venison (deer) and fowl (possibly turkeys, but could also include ducks and geese or other) are believed to have been some of the meat served along with a vartiety of seafood including lobsters and mussels. Sides served at the feast could have included squash, onion, various greens, and especially indian corn (processed). If dessert is a must, perhaps these could be counted (although with sugar in short or no supply, it was likely not the sweetest of desserts or in pie form): pumpkin, cranberries, grapes, and nuts.
So yes, it is quite possible that the first thanksgiving celebrated with turkey, just like many of us today! Other popular dishes such as cranberry sauce (albeit unsweetened and possibly not sauced), squash, corn (indian corn of some sort), salad (tossed or deconstructed), and pumpkin (perhaps someone was able to concoct some sort of mashup that resembled today’s traditional pie). However, it is unlikely they would have served up fluffy mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, macaroni and cheese, apple pie, or a holiday ham.
Thanksgiving in the United States of America
Throughout the history of the United States, several declarations of Thanksgiving were made with the first national declaration being in 1777 when the Continental Congress recommended a day of “solemn thanksgiving and praise.” A dozen years later, George Washington proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving and prayer from the nation to Almighty God. Similar proclamations were made by succeeding presidents and governors/leaders of states/localities. In 1863, possibly following a request from Sarah Hale, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed (and invited all U.S. citizens) “to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.” And so it was…for more than 70 years. In 1933, President Roosevelt was asked to move Thanksgiving—which fell on the fifth Thursday that year—a week earlier; he declined. However, in 1939 the same request was made and this time he honored the request. Unsettling to some, one-third of the country (by Governors’ orders) continued to celebrate on the last Thursday of the month, while the rest of the country celebrated on the second-to-last Thursday of November in 1939, 1940, and 1941. Finally, the fourth Thursday of November, as we know to be Thanksgiving, was passed by Congress in December 1941.
Let the Game Begin!
The posted coordinates will take you to a container containing a buffet of Thanksgiving foods. Each item contains partial coordinates on the reserve side. The details provided above about the first thanksgiving should help you find the 3 food items that do not belong in Plymouth in 1621. Use the partial coordinates on the back of these 3 foods to determine the coordinates of the final geocache and be thankful that you can log your smiley. IMPORTANT: These food items are NOT SWAG; please leave them in the container!
If you need help filling your plate at stage 1, or you wish to utilize the cache’s resident chatty turkey (he is full of words), the field puzzle can help you determine which 3 food items do not belong. If the turkey doesn’t know the name of the food item, then it doesn’t belong—please do not add any turkey tattoos to him, leave the ink for the final log. (We have included several of these wordy gobblers in case any are damaged.)
Please keep the turkeys zipped and the buffet securely in the cache container to keep the leftovers for the next geocacher to find. Return the container and add a little natural camo to help it blend.
For the final cache, please sign the log, close the container and place it back with the camo coverage. You must sign the log at the final coordinates to claim your smiley. Please bring your own pen.
Happy Thanksgiving, Ocala!