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Minnie's Pearl Virtual Cache

Hidden : 5/18/2004
Difficulty:
1 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size:   virtual (virtual)

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Geocache Description:

Placed in memory of the great entertainer and humanitarian Sarah Cannon (aka Minnie Pearl). What makes this site so unusual is the total ABSENCE of a monument or marker applauding the greatness of this person. You won't find this place on any tour bus stops.

Member of Middle Tennessee GeoCachers Club - www.mtgc.org

Minnie Pearl was the stage name of Sarah Cannon. The “Queen of Country Comedy” was one of the most loved performers on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. Born in 1912 in Centerville, TN, she was an aspiring actress who joined a traveling community theatre group during the depression years. An elderly lady she met on the road was the inspiration for the Minnie Pearl character who first appeared on the Grand Ole Opry in 1940. She enjoyed a productive career as a radio and stage performer and as a guest on virtually every variety show of the day. Bringing the gossip from mythical Grinder’s Switch to the rest of the world, Minnie Pearl won the hearts of country fans everywhere. She also won a number of notable awards, including being the first woman to be named Billboard's "Man of the Year" for country music. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1975, was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1992, and became the first woman inducted into the Comedy Hall of Fame in 1994.

Sarah Cannon was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1985 and spend a great deal of the rest of her life devoting her humor and compassion (not to mention her money) to cancer research, education, and treatment. As a cancer survivor, she became a major benefactor for the cancer foundation and cancer treatment and research centers that bear her name (see Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation and the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center). Sarah Cannon suffered a debilitating stroke in 1991 and remained virtually bedridden until her death in 1996 from a series of strokes. Despite the cultural and humanitarian icon that she was, she is buried in a simple grave with a very plain marker bearing only her name and dates. There is no monument, no headstone, and absolutely no mention or tribute to her many talents or accomplishments. In fact, if you didn't know what you were looking for, it could be totally overlooked. Take a few minutes while you are there to pay tribute to the memory of this remarkable and inspirational woman.

To log this cache, email me the following:
1. What was Sarah Cannon’s full maiden name (include her middle name)?
2. What is the name of the cemetery where she is buried?
3. Does the sidewalk leading by her tombstone pass to the right or left of her gravesite?
4. What are the names on the grave markers immediately to her right and left?


No "internet finds" and don't include your answers in your log
or it will be deleted!

Additional Hints (No hints available.)