Fall Into Geocaching: Mounds State Park Traditional Cache

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Pokagon Nature Center: Thanks everyone. The winners will be announced shortly.

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Hidden : 9/11/2006
Difficulty:
1 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

Fall Into Geocaching: Mounds State Park:
"Ancient Astronomers!"

This cache was created by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of State Parks and Reservoirs to promote geocaching in the Indiana State Parks and Reservoirs this fall. It is part of a larger contest. Each cache in this series (search "fall into geocaching") has a special word(s) in bold on the top of the log sheet. There are a total of 22 different caches located in 22 different state parks, recreation areas, or reservoirs. Though not needed to log the cache, the first teams to successfully find (and log online) 10 of these caches and email to the profile above the 10 words (with their corresponding park) will win. All other teams completing it will also go into a drawing for other prizes. The contest period goes from Labor Day until Dec 31, 2006.

Participants can look for caches anytime during the contest period; however, the first geocacher who finds ten of the 22 caches, reports to the contest coordinator and is verified as a winner will be awarded a $100 gift certificate to Indiana State Park inns. Only one gift certificate will be awarded. All other prizes (annual passes, campnights, daily entrance admissions) will be awarded at the end of the contest in a drawing for participants who have located at least 10 of the 22 caches. One hundred free “Fall into Geocaching” t-shirts will be also be awarded in a drawing for anyone who participates and reports finding at least one cache. The usual State Park admission is required ($1.00 bicycle, $4.00 in-state weekday, $5.00 weekend, or $7.00 out of state vehicles).
Whether you visit our great State Parks and Reservoirs for a day or an entire weekend, we hope you get out and see all that Indiana has to offer. Be sure to also check out some of the geocaching events going on at various State Parks this fall! Good Luck!!!

You can find other "Fall Into Geocaching" caches at:
· Brookville Lake: GCY8VY
· Brown County State Park: GCY5NA
· Fort Harrison State Park: GCY1VM
· Indiana Dunes State Park: GCXYQ7
· J. Edward Roush Reservoir: GCY5XR
· Mansfield Mill: GCY5FP
· McCormick’s Creek State Park: GCY29G
· Mississinewa Reservoir: GCY31P
· Mounds State Park: GCY8VD
· Ouabache State Park: GCY24C
· Pokagon State Park: GCXWHP
· Potato Creek State Park: GCXZYK
· Prophetstown State Park: GCY5WR
· Raccoon Lake State Recreation Area: GCY5F0
· Salamonie Reservoir: GCY5DP
· Shades State Park: GCY16E
· Shakamak State Park: GCY22T
· Spring Mill State Park: GCY6T4
· Summit Lake State Park: GCXYR2
· Tippecanoe River State Park: GCY2TZ
· Turkey Run State Park: GCY13M
· Whitewater Memorial State Park: GCY8W1


Welcome to Mounds State Park! Mounds is definately an old park with an old history! Established in 1930, Mounds State Park contains and preserves some of the finest examples of earthwork and mound building in the state of Indiana. There are 10 mounds and earthworks located within the park's boundaries ranging in size from only a few inches tall to several feet high. They were built around 150 B.C. by the Adena and Hopewell cultures primarily for religious ceremonies.

The "Great Mound" was probably first recognized by non-Indians before 1803 when land reports were sent to General Arthur St. Clair, governor of the Northwest Territory. Frederick Bronnenberg, who protected the mounds until his death in 1853, first purchased the land in 1821. His house still stands within the present-day park. The property remained in the Bronnenberg family until 1879. Shortly thereafter it was owned by the Union Traction Company and eventually developed into an amusement park. A carousel was operated atop the panduriform “Fiddleback” mound. Much alteration and destruction of mound surfaces occurred at this time due to amusement park activity, and in some areas, cultivation.

Decades before the birth of Christ, a race of Indians built an intricate complex of mounds near Anderson that Don Cochran, a Ball State University Archaeologist, believes was used as an observatory. Dips in the earthen walls surrounding the largest mound’s central platform helped observers track the movement of the sun and bright stars. The west side of the Great Mound features alignments that follow the setting of the sun on the days of winter and summer solstice, the shortest and longest days of the year. It also tracks sunset on the equinox, when the hours of daylight and darkness are virtually equal.

Cochran used a survey transit to help make his discovery at Mound State Park. The survey tool helped confirm the alignment of smaller companion mounds with the dips in the earthen wall surrounding the park’s Great Mound. was December 21, 1988, winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. If Cochran was right with his computations and if it worked out in real life, the implications, he believed, could be staggering. It was just after 5 PM and the big moment was almost at hand. But something didn’t look quite right. The sun was sinking on a track that would take it too far to the left to line up with a flag marker (his coat). It looked like it was going to miss the slot in the Great Mound. But, as the sun slipped closer to the horizon alignment began to drift slightly back to the right. Cochran watched as the sun swung into line with the embankment dip. At 5:23 PM, it sank into darkness directly behind the flag. The theory appeared on target.

These modest heaps of dirt were not merely burial mounds or amphitheaters, as archaeologists had thought for decades. They were sophisticated observatories shaped from the earth by prehistoric humans nearly a century before the birth of Christ. For more than 2,000 years the mounds had been silently keeping track of the heavens spinning above central Indiana while no one had suspected, until now.

This cache is within walking distance to these great mounds. Take some time to visit the mounds and stop to look at the Bronnenberg house! Afterwards, visit the new Mounds Interpretive Center for a closer look at the history of this great park! Enjoy!

The "Fall Into Geocaching" series meets all guidelines set forth in the IDNR Geocaching Policy. If you are interested in placing a geocache in an Indiana State Park or Reservoir, please review our policy at: Link

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Qbja gur cngu gb jurer gur ohggre jnf xrcg pbby [or] Sebz gur cngu lbh fubhyq frr gur fgnpxcvcr sebz gur Oebaaraoret bhgubhfr

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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