GC4YVVG 50 Maryland - 50 State Star (Unknown Cache) in Maryland, United States created by 50 State Star

This cache has been archived.

tazscouter: Over an excellent 5 year run on the Maryland State Star. Time to open up the space for others to hide caches.

GC4YVVG ▼

A cache by 50 State Star Message this owner

Hidden : 4/24/2014

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

This Geoart is part of a nationwide project; THE USA 50 STATE STAR GEOART celebrating every state in the USA ! Our Goal is to have a "50 STATE STAR" in each state of the USA. Look for the states that proudly display the "STAR" !

This Geoart is part of a Nationwide project;
THE USA 50 STATE STAR GEOART
celebrating every state in the USA !

This 50 State Star celebrates the "Old Line State" of MARYLAND.
The Maryland Star contains 51 Star caches. All of the caches are puzzles.

This puzzle centers around the counties of Maryland.

Every US state is divided into counties. The county names typically come from figures in history, but to keep the computers happy, Uncle Sam assigns each county a 5-digit number called a "FIPS Code". It's kind of like a Zip Code, but for the whole county. The first two digits represent the state (for Maryland, it's "24"), and the last three uniquely identify each specific county. All of the actual counties in Maryland are sequenced in alphabetical order and end in an odd number, from 24001 Allegany to 24047 Worchester. The one county-equivalent--24510 Baltimore City--ends in an even number and is out of sequence, to help distinguish it from Baltimore County. More information can be found on Wikipedia.

Below is a little story about the history of Maryland, just two seven-sentence paragraphs. Check it out and see if you can solve the puzzle.

Maryland’s rich history dates back before the First President of the United States of America took office. The colony was controlled by a powerful family, whose surname now survives in many honorary titles throughout the state. Relatives of the family are honored as well--for example, the legacy of her Lady Grace lives on, who was the sister of the colony’s first proprietor. This powerful line of Barons helped foster a colony that became a haven for Catholics and general religious tolerance in the New World, particularly important at a time of religious persecution in England. The same line of Barons helped found a city in 1729, which grew swiftly as a port town, and is the largest city in Maryland today. After the first proprietor passed on, his son and heir inherited the colony, and would see the title to Maryland temporarily lost to the British Crown (largely due to religious differences), though it was restored by his grandson of the same name not long after. Finally, the family stake passed to the sister of the 6th Baron and last proprietor of Maryland, fell under dispute, then became largely moot when the American Revolution broke out.

By the 1770’s, this refuge for those that prayed to the Virgin Mother had grown to be a mighty force in the Revolutionary War. For example, the 3rd Maryland Regiment, whose eager Commander would go on to govern the state, was a key player in the Battle of Cowpens. Even the Major General who fell in Quebec is a rich, well-known name around here. As the war ended, our newfound state detached itself from the British Crown, as well as from the legacy of those like a certain former Prince of Denmark. The beautiful streams of Maryland came to know a new kind of freedom. A former sovereign may have united her kingdoms in the early part of the century, but King George III found the States of America would unite not for the British Empire, but rather unite against it.^* On July 4th, 1776, a Maryland delegate was one of many to sign the Declaration of Independence and give birth to our nation.^*

*-for the last two, sum the last two, so you can get even