To find this cache, you must follow the list of instructions below and complete this puzzle:
N41 4_._ _ _ W88 0_._ _ _
A.B C D E.F G H
There are many pieces of artwork commissioned by the McCormick family that still remain at the forest preserve today.
1) From the posted coordinates, the first one you might notice is a statue of a horse at the parking lot. You will start there.
What is the number of letters in the horse’s name? A=number minus 2
2) Move to the northeast to a beautiful red brick wall. To augment the landscaping in the farm’s courtyard, the McCormick family installed the columns and archway from the entrance to the old William Deering and Company facility. Make your way to the north side of that wall. There are two large words on the wall on either side of the arch.
What is the number of letters in the word on the right side of the arch? F=number minus 3
3) If you are facing the arch, you are looking at another statue of an animal.
What is the number of letters in the name of the statue? E=number plus 4
3) If you are facing the arch, you can see a plaque on the right pillar that starts "This doorway..." What is the last word on the first line? E=number of letters in that word PLUS 5.
4) Turn to your left and look to the top of the door on the building in front of you. This is an art deco oil painting that dates back to Chauncey and Marion McCormick’s time at the estate in the 1930’s
How many white balls are in the painting? C=number
5) The building you are looking at is called the Red Brick Stable. Make your way to the door on the exact opposite side of the building. If you walk to the north, you will pass a very interesting corn crib. At the opposite door you will see another piece of art. John Davies, a renowned expert on therapeutic riding wrote the poem you see. He was hired by Brooks McCormick to direct equestrian operations at the farm and shortly after opened the St. James Riding School for the Handicapped. The relief that you see by Artist Ann Frey commemorates the school, which married McCormick’s passion for horses with a greater philanthropic cause.
How many letters are in the last word of the poem’s title? G=number
6) Turn around and you will be facing east. There are white fences surrounding arena’s on either side of a path. Walk east along that path until you come to the end of the paved path. There you will see an information sign about the tree Allees on the property.
This would be a good time to find the multi cache called SJF 3 - Pin Oak Allee.
When you are done, go back to this information sign and travel south on the path you were standing on to read the information sign. At the next path intersection, you will see another piece of art on the right. It is a bronze relief of Brooks McCormick’s granddaughter Fiona and her horse Something Special. There is a two digit number carved into the lower right corner of the relief. **This may be hard to read or covered with snow. Read the hint if you need the answer. You may want to remember the name of the horse.
What is the first number in that two digit number? B= number
7) Turn to your left and cross the path you were just walking on. In a hedge enclosure, you will see another work of art that is also a fountain. This artwork was also used to water equestrian competitor’s horses. There is a plaque near the bottom of the fountain. **This plaque is missing and used to read "HORSE TROUGH"
What is the number of letters in the first word in the name of the Art? H=number
8) Directly behind you as you faced the fountain is a pavilion. The last piece of the art is here. There is a fountain in the pavilion that was created out of clay, stone and bronze. The fountain statue is of a number of beautiful creatures. ** For now, I will let you know that the three beautiful dolphins are unavailable due to Covid-19 and construction.
How many beautiful creatures are there? D=number multiplied by 3
Now put your numbers in the above grid and continue on doing caches 4a, 5, 6 and 7. At the end of 7 – The Magic Treehouse, you will be in a great spot to find this letterbox cache final.