Cache to Eagle: The Big Elm Traditional Geocache
Cache to Eagle: The Big Elm
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Geocachers will most likely find this a fairly simple find. I created this cache to bring attention to the site and make people aware of its significance to the town of Sheffield and to me.
This cache may be winter friendly. You should check for ticks.
Please leave the site better than you found it.
The Big Elm, which was located at the corner of Silver St and Route 7, is used as a symbol of the town of Sheffield, Massachusetts.
In the early 1700's the Big Elm in Sheffield served as the meeting house for the citizen of the town. The tree grew at the corner of Silver St and Route 7 and lived for nearly 400 years until it was cut down in 1926. It was said that all the residents of the town could fit under the branches of the Big Elm.
In the spring of 1970, I was looking for a project that could be used to complete the requirements for the rank of Eagle Scout. Having driven by this site through most of my life, I was concerned about the appearance of the site at the time. The site had become overgrown with weeds and berry brambles and the monument was barely visible from the road. I talked to my parents about the situation and they encouraged me to contact the Selectmen of Sheffield to obtain permission to clean up the site. The Selectmen were very excited and quickly gave me permission. I began the project, removed the weeds, cut down the brambles, found the fence around the site and mowed the grass all summer long and kept the site looking good and became an Eagle Scout. The Town of Sheffield has maintained the site ever since and it has always looked great.
A picture of the Big Elm and the seal of the Town of Sheffield may be seen at this link:
http://www.sheffieldtreeproject.org/bigelm/
The Town of Sheffield has a webpage at this link:
http://townofsheffield.com/
The cache container is a small camoflaged lock and lock. I included two travel bugs that are looking to move on in hopes that this might become a travel bug/geocoin swapping place in the southern Berkshires.
Thanks to the Town Administrator and the Sheffield Selectmen for approving the placement of this cache.
My sister (drueger) and mother (ruegermom) live within a couple of miles of the cache and are willing to maintain the cache. It was actually their idea to put this cache at this site.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ybbx vafvqr