PLSO Stark County "The Benchmark Bench" Multi-Cache
PLSO: Due to a conflict with the USPS on our use of a mailbox we are archiving the cache. Thank you to everyone who has stopped by over the years!
PLSO Stark County "The Benchmark Bench"
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(regular)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Breaking the boundaries between surveying and geocaching!
Geocachers use GPS and evidence on the ground to find and set things that are not obvious to the eye. Land surveyors also use GPS (among lots of other cool and expensive toys) and evidence on the ground to find and set things that are not obvious to the eye. Geocachers try to get the best GPS accuracy possible; surveyors use GPS equipment with accuracy that boggles the mind. Geocachers may look for NGS bench marks, whereas surveyors often use NGS bench marks and may even set some new bench marks. The two activities have many similarities.
The NSPS Geocaching Project is an effort by the National Society of Professional Surveyors (www.nspsmo.org) to introduce geocachers to surveying and surveyors to geocaching.
PLSO has set a goal to have a cache in every county of the state. This cache is the very first one. Located at my office (776 North Union Avenue), this cache will teach you about benchmarks including why surveyors use them and how.
The term benchmark originates from the chiseled horizontal marks that surveyors made in stone structures, into which an angle-iron could be placed to form a "bench" for a leveling rod, thus ensuring that a leveling rod could be accurately repositioned in the same place in future. These marks were usually indicated with a chiseled arrow below the horizontal line. The height of a benchmark is calculated relative to the heights of nearby benchmarks in a network extending from a fundamental benchmark, a point with a precisely known relationship to the level datum of the area, typically mean sea level. Benchmarks are typically placed ("monumented") by a government agency or private survey firm, and many governments maintain a register of these marks so that the records are available to all. Every benchmark is unique, but below are some places where benchmarks are often found:
• In the US, benchmarks will often be located at railroad depot stations, or along and slightly below the level of the track bed. In cases where the track has been removed, check to see that the track bed in the area near the suspected location of the benchmark has not been overly disturbed or dug-up. If it has, it is possible that the benchmark was buried when the rails were taken out and a metal detector may be required to find the mark. In many cases, the mark will have been destroyed.
• Benchmarks can be in a variety of places in and around old bridges. One common location is the top level of a bridge abutment, or bridge support. The benchmark may also be in the bridge structure itself, or be set in the actual roadbed of the bridge.
• In the US, a benchmark will sometimes be described as a smokestack or tower. The tall structure itself will be considered the benchmark, and survey reference is made from the highest point of the structure, even though there is not a marker there.
• Another common place to find benchmarks is at county court houses, either embedded on the building itself or nearby on the lawn. Old post offices, city halls, and older schools are also commonplace for benchmarks.
To Find Our Cache—
The coordinates will take you to a micro that contains a key and directions to the actual cache. The coordinates will take you near a rock bench. Have a seat! Notice anything about this big ole rock? It has a benchmark set in it! It came from the bridge that’s being replaced on Walnut just blocks from our office! And what’s that growing in our flowerbed?! Benchmarks, all in a row!
The first 3 to find will receive a free goodie bag compliments of PLSO!!!!! Just email me your name and address OR stop in and see me if we’re open!
If you stop by during business hours, come in and see me! I can give you information on all the caches our organization has hidden and a lesson in surveying history if you’re interested. Please only cache dawn to dusk so you don’t freak out our neighbors! You can contact me if you have any questions at akinssurveying@yahoo.com.
Happy Caching!
Vanessa Akins aka Lil Viv
PLSO Geocaching Coordinator
PS Cache is loaded with goodies, log book and writing equipment.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Fgntr 1: Bar va gur unaq, Gjb va.....
Fgntr 2: TRB Znvyobk