Set to launch on February 27, 2010, the new Star-Spangled Banner Geotrail is a unique journey through American history and across the landscapes of the Chesapeake Bay. Participants will have the chance to explore more than 30 forts, museums, battlefields, ships, parks and preserves, each with its own unique story about the War of 1812. Intended to complement and promote the Congressionally designated Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail, the Geotrail commemorates the dramatic chain of events, people and places that led to the birth of our National Anthem during the War of 1812. This first-of-its-kind, multi-state initiative is supported by Friends of Chesapeake Gateways, the Maryland Geocaching Society, and the National Park Service.
Geocaching, pronounced “geo-cashing,” is a worldwide phenomenon in which participants use a hand-held GPS (Global Positioning System) to locate a hidden “cache.” Searching for a cache is akin to going on a treasure hunt and can involve clues, riddles and visits to multiple locations. A “geotrail” is a series of caches tied together by a common topic or theme. The Star-Spangled Banner Geotrail includes more than thirty diverse sites that are all part of the landscape of the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake region. Some hold national prominence, others reflect the all-encompassing nature of the struggle, during which the British raided and burned communities in Maryland, Virginia and even our nation’s capital. In addition, the majority of participating locations are also designated Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails, special places that share the story of the Bay and its Rivers.
“The geotrail is a wonderful way to build interest in the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake and in the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail,” said Suzanne Copping, National Park Service Project Manager. “The Geotrail crosses state lines, just as the British and Americans did, and also connects sites along the National Historic Trail to other locations in the larger Chesapeake region. This is a great way for families to discover local connections to a War that had international implications. The geotrail will also draw attention to a variety of themes as we approach the 1812 Bicentennial.”
In order to participate in the adventure, a geocacher must access the official geocache website at www.Geocaching.com. A basic membership is free. Once an account is established, the geocacher can use the advance search function to locate the Star-Spangled Banner account and retrieve the map coordinates for each Star-Spangled Banner Geocache. The next step is to head outside with a GPS to find geocaches along the Star-Spangled Banner Geotrail. A collectible, highly coveted trackable geocoin will be given to the first 400 geocachers who locate a minimum of 20 geocaches along the trail. Full details on how to earn the coin are available at www.friendsofchesapeakegateways.org
“Whether you are hiking through a park, paddling along a river or discovering a historic downtown, Chesapeake Gateways offer rich, revealing ways to enjoy the unique Chesapeake region, including its history as a major theatre of conflict during the War of 1812” said Eleanor Mahoney, Program Director for the Friends of Chesapeake Gateways. “Friends is excited to co-sponsor the Star-Spangled Banner Geotrail and expose a whole new group of visitors to the Gateways Network and its member sites. We are so grateful for all the assistance from the Maryland Geocaching Society and its members who made the trail a reality!”
The Star-Spangled Geotrail launches February 27, 2010. For more information visit on the geotrail and its supporters, visit:
www.friendsofchesapeakegateways.org
www.mdgps.org
www.nps.gov/stsp
