By NPS Photo - http://photo.itc.nps.gov/storage/images/foca/foca-Thumb.00001.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4957948
The cache is NOT at the posted coordinates.
Fort Caroline, nestled along the banks of the St. Johns River in present-day Jacksonville, Florida, holds a significant place in the early European exploration and colonization of the Americas. Established by French Huguenots in 1564, it was intended to serve as a foothold for French interests in the New World, providing a strategic base for trade and expansion. Led by René Goulaine de Laudonnière, the settlers aimed to establish a colony that would rival Spanish influence in the region.
However, Fort Caroline's existence was marked by hardship and conflict from its inception. Facing challenges such as disease, food shortages, and strained relations with local Native American tribes, the colony struggled to maintain stability and prosperity. Moreover, tensions with Spanish forces, who viewed the French presence as a threat to their territorial claims, culminated in the brutal massacre of many Fort Caroline settlers by Spanish troops under the command of Pedro Menéndez de Avilés in 1565.
Despite its short-lived existence, Fort Caroline played a significant role in shaping the course of European colonization in North America. Its establishment and subsequent demise underscored the fierce competition between European powers for control of the New World and the brutal realities of colonial expansion. Although the French presence in Florida was ultimately extinguished, Fort Caroline remains a symbol of the enduring spirit of exploration and settlement that characterized the Age of Discovery. Today, the site is preserved as a national memorial, offering visitors a glimpse into this pivotal chapter of American history and the complex interactions between European settlers and Native American peoples.
Source: ChatGPT
----- N 44 20.697 W 094 05.988
One of the oldest roads in the state, Fort Road was originally built by the federal government after Fort Ridgely was completed in 1853-54. Supplies were shipped from Fort Snelling to Traverse des Sioux, then transported by wagon to Fort Ridgely.
Nicollet County Road 5 runs more than 42 miles from its eastern terminus at its intersection with US Highway 169 in St Peter to the Renville County line. Old Fort Road presumably extended from Traverse des Sioux, although the portion running through the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College has been blocked off. Fort Road as an address runs from the western edge of St Peter to the end of CR-5.
In an ideal world, a paved trail would have been installed when the road was refurbished in the early 2010s. This planned geocache trail will have to suffice, but won’t alleviate my anxiety when biking here.