For 100 years, the National Park Service has preserved America’s special places “for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.” Celebrate its second century with the Find Your Park GeoTour and explore these geocaches placed for you by National Park Service Rangers and their partners.
geocaching.com/play/geotours/findyourpark
The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail begins at the Muster Grounds in Abingdon, Virginia. From there, a commemorative motor route uses public highways to travel 330 miles with segments in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. This cache takes you on a short drive following a segment of the Trail through Gaffney, SC. The stops along your drive can be done in any order to get the information you need for the cache. The best route for time and mileage to get three of the Find Your Park GeoTour caches is to start at Cowpens or Kings Mountain, stop along the way to gather the clues for the Overmountain cache and end at the other park. The coordinates for the cache page are the same ones for stop number four. A log book for this cache will be located at both Cowpens National Battlefield and Kings Mountain National Military Park. This cache must be done during park hours of 9-5 daily except for federal holidays. At each stop you will find a small, single number that will be part of a lock combination. Use the numbers in descending order to open the lock and sign the log.
1. N 35° 07.881 W 81° 47.845 At this stop look for a three sided information display. Search within the display for a single number hidden from view of muggles.
2. N 35° 04.406 W 81° 38.918 At this stop look low for a single number. It is not on the monuments.
3. N 35° 04.597 W 81° 38.910 At this stop look for a single number sandwiched in. If the Visitor's Center is open, be sure to go in and check out their Revolutionary War display and the map of South Carolina Battles and skirmishes.
4. N 35° 05.293 W 81° 34.429 At this stop look for a single number on the back of the red and white. A very short walk will give you a view of the river. The militia crossed about 1.2 miles down river from this spot on their way to Kings Mountain.
The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail traces and preserves the history of the 330- mile route the Patriot militia, known as the Overmountain Men, traveled to fight Patrick Ferguson at the Battle of Kings Mountain. The Overmountain Men were pesky people to Ferguson because they would show up and skirmish with Ferguson and his Loyalist troops in areas, then retreat back over the mountains. Ferguson sent a threat to them telling them they needed to take up arms for the King or else he would march his army over the mountains, hang their leaders, and lay waste their land with fire and sword. In response, the Patriots decided to find Ferguson before he could get to their homes. Men mustered in Abingdon, VA and marched toward Sycamore Shoals (in today’s TN) to meet up with more men. The group journeyed south to find Ferguson, picking up more men as they went. Word had been sent out to Wilkes and Surry Counties in NC, spurring militia to gather and meet up with the rest. The total journey to find Ferguson took 2 weeks and was incredibly taxing on the men; it had rained for much of the journey, arguments sometimes broke out among the men, and they were concerned for their families and homes they had left behind. They, however, remained determined and continued to be fueled by the cause for American independence. Their hard work and determination paid off when they became the victors of the Battle of Kings Mountain on the late afternoon of October 7, 1780. The battle began the turning point of the American Revolution. Regarding the Battle of Kings Mountain, Thomas Jefferson stated that it was, "The turn of the tide for success."
Today, the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail has a 330- mile commemorative motor route from Abingdon, VA and Wilkes and Surry Counties in NC down to Kings Mountain National Military Park. In addition, there are sections totaling 87 certified miles in various areas on the historic route that can be used for recreational purposes. One of these sections runs through Cowpens National Battlefield.
Fun Fact: The muster at Sycamore Shoals was a place of preparation. Women mended clothes and packed food items such as beef jerky, while the men got their rifles and other fighting gear ready. Here, they were supplied with 500 pounds of black powder by Mary Patton, a local powder maker. Imagine traveling for 2 weeks through much rain trying to keep 500 pounds of powder dry!
To learn more about the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, visit the web site at www.nps.gov/ovvi.