This Virtual Cache follows up on a geocaching.com discussion thread started by 'Bubba 232' from California on June 20, 2001 in which (s)he requested coordinates for monuments and tourist sites in Washington, D.C. Jeremy Irish, Geocaching.com originator, responded with some of the more unusual paces to visit, but without coordinates. In part, he noted 'there is a statue of a giant, half exposed in the ground', believing it to be called 'The Awakening'.
The 'Garmen (& Women) Group' replied ". . . The 'Awakening' is an interesting sculpture for kids of all ages. It is a bit off the normal tourist path” and subsequently established it as a Virtual Cache on August 11, 2001. For many years this location,in East Potomac Park near the confluence of the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers had been a favorite site for the 'Garmen (& Women) Group' to visit personally, or to take out-of-town guests.
The statue, widely thought to be public property, was installed by Artist J. Seward Johnson in DC's Haines Point in 1980. It in fact, was owned and maintained by the “Sculpture Foundation”. Johnson originally planned to donate it to the USDI National Park Service, but that agency could not accept site-specific art gifts. The Foundation, around 2005, sold the sculpture to Virginia-based land developer Milt Peterson for $750,000, who has dubbed it “Charlie”.
The Awakening has now been reawakened! It was dug up from its Haines Point home of nearly 30 years, cleaned and restored, then “replanted” downstream on the other side of the Potomac River, in Maryland. Special thanks to Marylandgeocacher who verified the precise new coordinates. The statue is now a centerpiece in the “National Harbor” in Prince Georges County. It is accessible by water taxi, private boat, or auto.
“National Harbor” is the most recent scheme to develop the Washington, D.C. waterfront. Both the earlier “Bay of America” and “Port America” attempts failed because of financial, environmental, and regulatory problems. Peterson worked around these issues by lobbying Congress to change jurisdiction over the project from the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission to Prince George’s County. Developments include various hotels, offices and residential buildings.
NOTE: This is NEITHER an "Armchair" nor a "Google" cache and must be personally visited to claim.
"Cache Finders" wishing to claim this site must answer the following question: What is about the size of a dime and in each of the Giant’s eyes? (Photos that INCLUDE THE EYES closeup can be "spoilers" and are an unacceptable "proof of presence".)
Logged entry on the website should be accompanied by a separate email to the "Cache Hiders", which correctly answers the question, to assure "Cache Seekers" entry is not deleted.
Only in the RARE INSTANCES of high tide SUBMERGENCE, or when the immediate AREA is otherwise OFF LIMITS, an alternate proof could be a photo of yourself or GPSr near the sculpture, uploaded when you log your find. (Thanks to Geocacher "Scottish Cavalryman" for the suggestion.)