Welcome to Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park, located at the southern end of Roosevelt Island. This park was built to commemorate Franklin D. Roosevelt, our 32nd President, and his Four Freedoms Speech that was given to Congress on January 6, 1941. FDR's hope was to provide a rationale for why the United States should abandon the isolationist policies that emerged from World War I. In the address, Roosevelt critiqued Isolationism, saying: "No realistic American can expect from a dictator's peace international generosity, or return of true independence, or world disarmament, or freedom of expression, or freedom of religion–or even good business. Such a peace would bring no security for us or for our neighbors. He would then go on to quote Benjamin Franklin who said, "Those, who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Located just north of the entrance to the park is the Smallpox Hospital that was opened in 1856. Despite having an available vaccine, NYC had outbreaks of smallpox in part due to the arrival of infected immigrants. The hospital was placed at the southern end of Roosevelt Island in an attempt to quarantine those patients. The hospital was named to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1972. The design of the geocache is a nod to the hospital.
This cache is located near the park's Visitor Center and has been placed with permission from the park conservancy. The staff is aware of the cache, so if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to speak to the gatekeeper just inside the park. They love visitors...especially geocachers!
Special thanks to leckylove as well for creating the physical container!!!
Please note that the cache is only available during the park's hours. The park is open from 9AM to 5PM, six days a week and is closed on Tuesdays. The park is also closed on some major holidays. Please check the park's website if you have any questions.