Mary Dean's Ghost on the Chippewa River Trail Multi-cache
Mary Dean's Ghost on the Chippewa River Trail
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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You can hike or bike to this one. Parking is near the coordinates listed above, and the final cache is about .37 miles down the trail. The coordinates above take you to a historical marker, describing the ghost town of Meridean.
Meridean was once a thriving place, with a post office and school and operated a sawmill and a ferry. It depended on travel on the Chippewa River, and once travel changed from boats on the river to by rails, the town died out.
The final cache is at
44.44.ABC
91.47.DEF
A = 4
B = 9
C = Second digit of number of residents of Meridean, according to marker
D = 1
E = Third digit of number of resident of Meridean, according to marker
F = Third digit of year that the Postal Office changed the spelling of Meridean
Some say that the ghost town is still inhabitated by the ghost of Mary Dean, for whom the town was named. It is said she committed suicide on the island, and still haunts it. Others say that the island is home to "hell hounds" and that they have seen their fiery red eyes in the dark and heard their hellish howls. More information about the haunting of Meridean can be found at this web site:
(visit link)
This is one of a series of caches along the Chippewa River Trail. The route traces quiet countryside and broad meanders of the Chippewa River. For the most part, it follows the rail bed of the Milwaukee Road railway, built in 1882, which connected Eau Claire to Red Wing, Minnesota. The railway was abandoned in 1980.
The Chippewa River was once the "Road of War" for the Ojibwe (Chippewa) and Dakota (Sioux). It was a direct canoe route between the center of Dakota power at the north end of Lake Pepin and Ojibwe territory in northwestern Wisconsin. The conflict raged for more than 150 years with the last battle taking place near Eau Claire in 1854.
The trail goes though the Lower Chippewa River Valley, an area with much remaining natural habitat, including 50% of the states plant species, 70% of the state's fish species, 75% of the state's nesting bird species and 25% of all native prairies remaining in the state.
A trail pass is required to bike on the trail. Passes are available at 44.47.165; 91.31.935, which is the Short Street ranger station. Passes cost $15 for an annual pass, or $4 for a daily pass.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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