The
printed MML Passport is no longer available. However, you may
download a copy from the MML website
here.
The
trail consists of 11 MML Districts (regions).
The MML Geocache Trail project will launch January 1, 2009 with 78
participating cities and towns. A trackable geo coin will be given
to the first 500 geocachers as an incentive for locating at least 2
municipal caches in each of the 11 districts. To be eligible for
the coin, geocachers must pick up a Passport at any of the
designated county visitor centers. Geocachers must use the stamp in
the cache on their Passports and write down the cache code word
listed in each cache. After at least two municipal caches in each
district are discovered, geocachers may return to one of the county
visitor centers and have their Passports validated to receive their
collectable coin.
For a complete list of participating visitor centers visit the MML
web site at http://www.mdmunicipal.org/mmlhome/index.cfm or MGS web
site at www.mdgps.org.
College Park is perhaps best known as home to the flagship
campus of the University of Maryland. The City and the university
straddle U.S. Route 1 just south of the Capital Beltway. University
sports, academic conferences and competitions, and cultural events
draw thousands of visitors to College Park each year. Maryland
Agricultural College, eventually evolved into the University of
Maryland at College Park. Maryland Agricultural College was
chartered in 1856 on 428 acres previously owned by Charles B.
Calvert, a prime mover in planning and securing the college. After
Calvert died in 1864, his remaining estate was divided among his
heirs. Part of that land was platted and developed as the
subdivision named College Park, which today is the Old Town
neighborhood.
College Park grew as a series of neighborhoods. Beyond the busy
pace of Route 1, the City’s “Main Street,” there are 12 distinct
residential neighborhoods that help to create the overall
atmosphere of a small town. Families take advantage of neighborhood
playgrounds, a skating rink, athletic fields, swimming pools, a
community center, and Lake Artemesia. An evolving series of hiker
biker trails links many of those amenities to each other and to the
University.
A significant chapter in early aviation history began in 1909 in
College Park at what is the world’s oldest continuously operating
airport. Wilbur Wright trained military officers to fly the
government’s first airplane there and the first Army Aviation
School was established there in 1911. Today, an aviation museum
depicts the role of the College Park Airport in many firsts of
American flight.
The geocache you seek is hidden just off the Hiker-Biker trail
that runs along the College Park Airport runway. Stealth may be
necessary if joggers and dog-walkers are about.
Enjoy your visit to College Park!
Thanks to Shady for helping with this hide!
Thanks to the Maryland Geocaching Society for assisting
with this project!