Part of a two-cache series I'll call Sheridan's Utilities. See also Sheridan's Steam while you're in the area!
This walk-up cache is rated 1.5/1.5 because of a smaller than regular cache and a gradual hill with some man-made obstacles. The ravine is under erosion protection. Do not climb on the ravine walls. Stick to the path. Stay on paved surfaces. Read the signs as you walk. Share the space and enjoy the find. Dogs on leashes. Path is mostly pedestrian and bikes. Not a busy location, but please respect the hide and use stealth when necessary. Enjoy!
Philip H. Sheridan died in 1888. In 1880 Thomas Edison produced a 16-watt light bulb that could last 1500 hours. Electricity hadn't reached practical purposes by 1888. The 1893 World's Fair, Chicago's Columbian Exposition, was among the first large-scale demonstrations of electrical lighting. General Sheridan could never have imagined that a military base wearing his name would have a complex network of electrical power lines buried under the feet of the marching Army.
Fort Sheridan is no longer in service, and the remnants of its electrical systems can be seen passing over-head from this ravine location. As you approach this site, you first pass under a trestle that supported pipes to transfer steam heat across the base from building to building. The second trestle you see supported electrical conduit across the ravine.
This service road is now a walking path that leads to Lake Michigan. Work is underway to convert this area into a safe and beautiful lakefront. In the meantime you can see some of what came before from these abandoned trestles to (if you continue walking the path) rotting posts that used to support a dock out on the lake.
Congratulations! FTF goes to jwheels1!