What is geocaching? “Geocaching (pronounced geo-cashing) is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure. A geocacher can place a geocache in the world, pinpoint its location using GPS technology and then share the geocache’s existence and location online. Anyone with a GPS device can then try to locate the geocache.” - Geocaching.com
Getting Started: • You’ll need a Global Positioning System (GPS) device: a handheld GPS, your car GPS (set in ‘Walking Mode’) or a smart phone. (For smart phones, a variety of applications are available for GPS coordinates.) • Log onto www.Geocaching.com and create your free account. • Use the given coordinates to find the area of the hidden cache. • Once found, a cache will contain a log book, write down your account name and the date you found the cache. • If there is an object in the cache, and you take it, you must replace it with some thing of equal or greater value. • Place the cache back exactly as you found it. • Report your findings online.
As you go: • Respect the environment and be mindful of your surroundings. • When you find a cache, be sure to put it back just as you found it. • Geocaches are meant to blend into the environment and will never be buried; so look very closely.
Terms: BYOP: Bring your own pencil so that you can sign the log book. DNF: Did not find. This is used when logging the cache online if you are unable to find the cache. FTF: First to Find. Written in the logbook or online when being the first person to discover the cache. Muggle: A non-geocacher. Usually used if a non geocacher looks puzzled after befriending a geocacher searching for a cache, or when one unexpectedly finds a cache. Retrieval tool: An object to grab the log book. Either a pair of tweezers, or a paper clip work well. TFTC: Thanks for the cache. (More available online at Geocaching.com.)
www.CacheCalhoun.org
Cache Calhoun GeoTour: Welcome to Calhoun County! The Cache Calhoun GeoTour will take you to explore and discover all that Calhoun County has to offer while learning a little history along the way. The Cache Calhoun GeoTour is an Official GeoTour and can be found online at: Geocaching.com/adventures/geotours/cachecalhoun Ten caches are placed throughout Calhoun County and are waiting for you to find! Each cache is a little different from the other and holds a clue to finding the final cache! Each cache contains its own number. Save the numbers as each will give you the coordinates to the final cache.
The Cache Calhoun Geo Tour is an official geo tour of Geocaching.com. Visit www.Geocaching.com/adventures/geotours/ cachecalhoun to find out more!
Each participating cache has an interesting and informative description. However, not everything could be listed in this guide. For complete listings visit www.Geocaching.com to learn more about each location and cache! Individuals participating in geocaching do so at their own risk. The Calhoun County Visitors Bureau, its affiliates and cache owners, are not responsible for accidents or injury. Please obey all appropriate laws and exercise extreme caution.
The Groundspeak Geocaching logo is a registered trademark of Groundspeak, Inc. used with permission.
Calhoun County Visitors Bureau • 800.397.2240
Cache Calhoun GeoTour Homer - CC1 GC490EH
N 42 ° 08.888 W 84 ° 48.357 This cache is located in a small park just a block or so north of Highway 60 in Homer. The original Homer Mill once stood close by and has since been destroyed by a fire. Originally called Barneyville after its founder Milton Barney, the town was officially changed to Homer (after a town in NY) in 1834. While in town, enjoy the paved natural trail along the river or sit down for a pizza or sandwich at a local shop.
Albion - Victory Park - CC2 GC490EZ N 42 °14.420 W 84° 44.885 Victory Park boasts a 10,000 square foot playground disguised as a castle; the perfect playground for any age. With open green space, a band shell, a disc golf course, and fields for playing your favorite sport, it is the outdoor destination for fun. Albion has also been known as ‘The Forks’ because it is located at the convergence of the north and south branches of the Kalamazoo River and holds an annual festival each fall to celebrate its heritage.
Victory Park - Albion, MI
Tekonsha - CC3 GC490FD N 42 ° 05.326 W 84 ° 59.067 Located in Riverside Cemetery (Tekonsha) this cache will have you thinking. When passing through town, note the former location of the mill, still standing with fire damage, next to the locally famous Randall Bean Plant. As with all cemetery caches, caching is not allowed after dark. Please be respectful. The cache is not located adjacent to any grave sites.
www.CacheCalhoun.org
Cache Calhoun GeoTour Marshall - CC4 GC490GH
N 42 ° 16.350 W 85 ° 57.894 Referred to as a ‘virtual textbook of 19thCentury architecture’, Marshall is known as a National Historic Landmark District with over 850 buildings included in the district. From the cache location you can see many of these historic landmarks including: the Brooks Memorial Fountain, the Old Stone Barn (which has served as a livery, stagecoach stop, gas station and currently City Hall) as well as the Honolulu House and the National House Inn (MI’s oldest operating inn). This is a high muggle area so please use stealth.
Brooks Memorial Fountain, Marshall
Athens -CC5 GC49EZK
N 42 ° 05.530 W 85° 14.092 The first pioneers arrived in Athens in 1831. The first sawmill was built in 1835 by two men, one of whom was the postmaster in Sherwood Twp., but in 1836 he brought his post office with him to Athens. A traditional post office was finally established in 1860 in the village of Athens and kept by AC Watermen. A gristmill was then established in 1865. This caching area is closed at night.
Bedford- CC6 GC490H6 N 42 ° 23.890 W 85° 14.056 Access from the south through the park. Closed at night. The first recorded sawmill in Bedford was built in 1837 on Marvin Road. The structure, on M-37, on the west side of the park is the old Grist Mill which was built in 1855. The stagecoach line, built in 1942, ran tri-weekly from Battle Creek to Hastings (a 25 minute drive today). The road was a plank road (called a corduroy road because the planks looked like a stretch of corduroy). This type of road was necessary due to the swampy areas it crossed which made it nearly impassable during the rainy seasons. Hint: Nobhg xarr uvtu, naq abg gb n tenffubccre.
Decryption Code: A|B |C|D|E|F|G|H| I| J |K |L |M --------------------------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X| Y | Z
Calhoun County Visitors Bureau • 800 -397-2240
Cache Calhoun GeoTour Harmonia -CC7 GC490HY N 42 ° 20.643 W 85° 16.734 Access from the south. Not in the fenced in area, so no need to trespass in there. There is more than a little mystery surrounding the village of Harmonia; most of what’s known about it comes from deeds and abstracts and very few diary entries by people who lived here. Settled by Quakers in the early-mid 1840’s, and later joined by spiritualists, Harmonia boasted an academy, general store, a cemetery and several people who would hold a séance for you. Harmonia was a progressive community where women wore bloomers and dances were held regularly (and men and women fraternized! How shocking!) When Sojourner Truth moved into the area in 1857, she first owned a home here in Harmonia. About 10 years later, she moved into the village of Battle Creek, but her daughter’s family continued to live here for 30 more years. It’s unknown how Harmonia failed, although a couple of natural disasters and being bypassed by the railroad is usually cited. And, what was left of the village was dozed to make way for Camp Custer during WWI. Camp Custer trained troops before being sent to fight and also housed Prisoners of War during WWII. All that’s left to mark the passing of this village is the road named Harmonia, a very thin scattering of paperwork, and appropriately, this cemetery.
Excerpt from July 21, 1917 - Enquirer
www.CacheCalhoun.org
Cache Calhoun GeoTour Lakeview - CC8 GC490JE N: 42 ° 17.408 W: 85° 12.204
Located at Willard Beach. Hours are 8am - 8:30 pm. Just off the parking area. No need to go into the admission area. Sometimes referred to as ‘South Battle Creek’ in the day, the Lakeview area was never a separate political entity. Instead, it was an area where people from ‘the city’ came to rest and recreate. Goguac Lake offered boating, swimming and picnicking opportunities. Along the north end of the lake was R.W. Surby’s Hotel and Resort, which opened in 1875. The resort was said to be a popular place with rowboats, dancing and dining. After 20 busy summers, the resort was sold. It was enlarged and the name was changed to ‘Lake View.’ Eventually, Lake View sold and the property became an amusement park with a merry-go-round, roller coaster, Ferris wheel and a large recreation building. On the east side of the Lake, Sanitarium Villa was built in 1880. It was planned as a summer annex for Sanitarium guests and was used for day outings; however, it became primarily a vacation spot for Sanitarium employees.
GC490JV N 42 20.550 W 085 08.800 Erza Convis, an early settler in Battle Creek, sold his land in 1836 and bought property a mile further upstream on the Battle Creek River. He built a dam at a natural waterfall and a saw mill was soon erected here. A grist mill followed and Convis began to sell lots in his village of Verona. Today, the dam is still visible downstream of this cache site (almost to the Emmett Street bridge where the gazebo is on the river walk.) The saw mill was once located on one side of the river and the original mill on the other.
Verona: CC9
Final - CC 10
GC49GZP
N 42° 14.323 W 84° 57.479
The cache is not at the posted coordinates. In order to find this cache, you must first find the 9 other caches. Each cache contains a clue for this cache so copy the clues and save to find the final coordinates. Use the back of this guide to track your findings to fill in the following: N 42 1A.BCD W 084 EF.GHI Write down the code in the final cache and bring to the CVB to be entered into the grand prize drawing!
Calhoun County Visitors Bureau • 800.397.2240
WIN! CACHE COLLECTION REPORT On each hidden cache is a special code. Write down each code to determine the final cache coordinates. Then, bring this sheet into the Calhoun County Visitors Bureau (CCVB) for your prize! Each completed prize sheet will register you for a grand prize weekend adventure in Battle Creek/Calhoun County. Only find a few? That’s ok! There are prizes for everyone! Fill in the following to determine the final coordinates:
N 42 1A.BCD W 084 EF.GHI Homer - CC1 (A) Albion - Victory Park CC2 (B) Tekonsha - CC3 (C) Marshall - CC4 (D) Athens - CC5 (E) Bedford - CC6 (F) Harmonia - CC7 (G) Lakeview - CC8 (H) Verona - CC9 (I) FINAL: CC10 CODE:
A special thanks to the Cache Calhoun GeoTour partners!
77 E. Michigan Avenue Suite 100, Battle Creek, MI 49017 Cache collection giveaway ends 10/31/13. 800.397.2240 • www.battlecreekvisitors.org