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Marching to Zion Traditional Geocache

Hidden : 10/29/2010
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

Cache is just across a paved farm-to-market road from Zion Church. This is a nano-cache with log only, bring your own pen. Park in old driveway on one side of road, or church parking lot on the other. You do not need to cross fence for cache. Cache during daylight hours only, please. Avoid on a Sunday morning!

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UPDATE: July 14, 2015 -- Original container, now defunct, has been replaced with a similar but slightly smaller container. You will definitely need to bring tweezers, or a similar tool, to remove the log.

UPDATE: JANUARY 22, 2016 - PLEASE BE CAREFUL CLOSING CONTAINER - DO NOT CLOSE IT TOO TIGHTLY, OR IT WILL JAM - AGAIN. THANK YOU!

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This is part of my “Learn About Kurten” series of caches. The cache name is taken from the title of an old-time hymn. Originally Zion Evangelical Church ("Evangelischen Zion Gemeinde"), this congregation was established in 1892. The Rev. P.W. Vollbrecht held services first in his home, and later in the old Fickey School. The first sanctuary was built in 1896. In 1910 the building was enlarged and a steeple erected. Services were conducted in the German language through the 1930s, as it was mostly German immigrants who settled this community. In 1942 the old sanctuary was torn down and a new one built and dedicated. This is the white frame building with the steeple directly across the road. It served the congregation for 62 years until 2004, when the congregation expanded into the larger metal building just across the parking lot to the west.

On a personal note, my parents were married in this church, and I grew up going there. This church spire is a National Geodetic Survey benchmark from 1943 – the intersection point is the cross on the steeple. Coordinates are N 30° 47.267 W 096° 15.946 (NAD 83). Go to http://www.geocaching.com/mark/ and enter BM0959 in “Search by Point ID” if you wish to log this benchmark.

Congrats to nativtxn for the FTF!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

obyg

Decryption Key

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

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)