Located on the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 382, the Folk Art Center showcases the finest in traditional and contemporary craft of the Southern Appalachians. It houses the Guild’s century-old Allanstand Craft Shop, exhibitions in three galleries, a library and an auditorium. The Guild's Permanent Collection is featured in an exhibition of craft permanent from Appalachia. Opened in 1980 as a cooperative effort between the Guild, the National Park Service and the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Folk Art Center is the most popular attraction on the Blue Ridge Parkway, welcoming 250,000 visitors each year. From March through December, visitors can observe craftspeople at work in daily craft demonstrations as well as a series of educational events held year round. The Folk Art Center is open every day of the year except New Years Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Hours of operation are 9am-6pm April-December and 9am-5pm January-March. This cache is ONLY available when the Folk Art Center is open.
The listed coordinates should bring you to the front entrance to the Folk Art Center. You will need to go in and find the Permanent Collection Gallery. The coordinates to the physical cache -- which is located a short walk from the Blue Ridge Parkway along the Mountain-To-Sea trail but is NOT on BRP/NPS property -- can be determined by finding the correct answers, which are all on similar-looking plaques about 1 foot by 2 foot in size. All answers refer to the date (or approximate date) of the photos on each plaque. The physical cache is located at:
N 35° 3 A.BC 0
W 82° 2 D.EF 0
A = E.A. and Clara Hilton (Ceramics): the second last digit PLUS two
B = Wade Martin (Woodcarvings): the last digit PLUS one
C = Granny Donaldson (Textiles): the last digit
D = Mr. and Mrs. S.B. Mace (Furniture): the second last digit PLUS the last digit
E = Helen Bullard (Dolls): the last digit
F = Isadora Williams' Home Demonstration Natural Dye Workshop (Natural Materials): the last digit PLUS two
CHECKSUM: A + B + C + D + E + F = XY; X + Y = 8
There is an obvious parking area within a tenth of the cache, which is a medium-sized Lock&Lock container. Round-trip walk is a little over a quarter-mile. Please rehide it at least as well as you found it. Enjoy!
FTF HONORS GO TO gotro&hc!!!
