Begin your adventure by parking at N41 52.129 W88 18.744. This area is open from 8:00 am until sunset.
The first part of the cache will put you in the middle of the estate of Colonel George Fabyan - heir to a textile fortune in the early part of the century. "Colonel" was actually an honorary title; he never saw military service. His great wealth allowed him to indulge his somewhat eccentric whims, vestiges of which can be seen around the grounds. As you explore the area, you may be walking in the footsteps of Teddy Roosevelt or Albert Einstein, which were among the many prominent visitors to the estate.
The first puzzle clue is found at N41°52.207 W88°18.707. Colonel George used this structure to house the animals described on the sign. Note the large shelter number on the sign. We’ll call this “A” for puzzle purposes. So, A=_____
Next, go to N41°52.260 W88°18.519 and let B= the number of sides on the base of the structure. The Colonel had this structure built around the time he brought a Dutch sea captain to the estate to teach him how to sail in the lagoon. So, B=_____
Next, follow the walkways until you reach N41°52.417 W88°18.343. This is where you will pick up the narrow trail that will lead you to your third clue. (This path may be impassable at times, if so you can continue your search by parking at N41°52.242 W88°18.302)
Follow the trails (keep your eyes open for mountain bikers) until you reach N41°52.597 W88°18.098. You don't have to bushwhack or get your feet wet to get there, you will wind around a bit, though.
100 years ago you would've been standing on the grounds of the State Industrial School for Delinquent Girls. The buildings are long gone, but a few of the former residents are still around. Mary T. should be able to help you, even if the gate is closed. Let C= the number of letters in Mary's last name.
Note: The cemetery is now clearly marked private but you can gather the information without entering the cemetery.
So, C=_____
Now, plug in the puzzle numbers to form the coordinates for the Cache. Let’s compute:
Let D=___C-1. Let E=___A. Let F=___A+3. Let G=___C-6. Let H=___B. Let I=___C-1
D+E+F+G+H+I should equal 25
The cache coordinates are: N41°52.DEF W88°18.GHI. N41°52._ _ _ W88°18._ _ _
For those that have in interest in learning more about The State Industrial School for Delinquent Girls, the following link has more information:
Daily Herald
Mysteriousheartland
Encyclopedia Chicago History
Aerial view (circa 1970s) of the Girl's School buildings and grounds
Edit 7/15/08: A special Thanks! to Paceteam for allowing me to adopt this cache.
Edit 7/03/10 The ammo can has been replaced by a sandwich sized lock n' lock which meets Kane County's Requirements for cache containers
Edit 3/9/2017 Updated coordinates and puzzle
Edit 12/20/2018 Updated parking coordinates
Edit 09/28/2023 Updated coordinates an puzzle