Be sure to visit www.santafetrail.org/geocaching to learn about the PASSPORT ACTIVITY to accompany this Geo Tour. This cache is located at the Raytown Historical Society Museum, 9705 E 63rd St, Raytown, MO 64133, located at the front desk and looks like a leather trunk that was used by historical travelers. The identifying GC # will be on the front, along with the green geocaching.com with information about the cache. Hours are Thur-Sat, 10 AM to 2 PM. It is always a good idea to call ahead to verify that they are open, or to set up an appointment. Sunday by appointment -- Call 816-353-5033 or email at: raytownhistorical@sbcglobal.net Admission is free. This container on the Santa Fe National Historic Trail Geo Tour has an identifying GC # on the outside of the box, and the dark green geocaching.com ID is on the side of the boxes with the information that provides coordinates, who set the cache and who to contact for information. Each cache contains a logbook to sign, a variety of items that provide information about the Santa Fe Trail as well as swag items. If you are participating in the Passport activity, the code word is located on the inside of the box, on the top of the lid and is clearly identified as Code Word. Permission to set caches has been obtained. We ask that all cachers please respect all property at the sites where our caches are set. If time pemits, enjoy the exhibits of early Raytown.
Raytown began as a Santa Fe Trail stop just eight miles south of Independence, and is probably the second oldest town in Jackson County. Prior to the 1820’s when Pioneers began to settle in the area, it was a part of the land possessed by the Osage Indians. After the Indians left this area, Jackson County was organized in December of 1826. The county was named after Andrew Jackson, who later became the seventh President of the United States.
Historically, the Santa Fe, California and Oregon Trails came through present day Raytown. William Ray established a blacksmith shop on the Santa Fe Trail in Jackson County, Missouri in about 1848. The settlement around the blacksmith shop was known first as "Ray's Town" and later as "Raytown" in 1854. The area where Raytown now lies was developed throughout the 19th century and early 20th century as pioneers moved westward along the Three Trails in search of available fertile lands and water. They discovered an area of high, wooded ridges, in the Raytown area, that reminded them of their former homes in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The land was named Blue Ridge, with the bordering bodies of waters called the Big Blue and the Little Blue rivers. There is now a historical marker in Raytown at the corner of 63rd Street and Raytown Road showing the location of William Ray's shop.