Around The Grounds Multi-cache
-Tiki-: No response from owner. If you wish to repair/replace the cache sometime in the future, just contact us (by email), and assuming it meets the current guidelines, we'll be happy to unarchive it.
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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IN 1871 THOMAS MCELDERRY AND CAROLINE SOUTTER SINCLAIR MOVED TO CEDAR RAPIDS FROM NEW YORK.. THOMAS STARTED HIS OWN MEAT PACKING BUSINESS, T.M. SINCLAIR & CO. MR. SINCLAIR DIED IN 1881 AT THE PLANT FROM A FATAL ACCIDENT DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION. HIS WIFE, CAROLINE, WAS LEFT A WIDOW WITH 6 YOUNG CHILDREN, THE SMALLEST
ONLY 6 MONTHS OLD.
IN 1884 AT AGE 33 CAROLINE PURCHASED 10 ACRES OF FARMLAND AND BEGAN WORK ON HER HOME. THE QUEEN ANNE STYLE MANSION WAS COMPLETED IN 1886 AT A COST OF $55,000. "FAIRHOME" (NOW BRUCEMORE) WAS DESCRIBED AS THE GRANDEST HOUSE WEST OF CHICAGO.
IN 1906, WHEN ALL HER CHILDREN HAD GROWN, SHE TRADED HOUSES WITH GEORGE BRUCE DOUGLAS, FOUNDER OF THE LARGEST CORNSTARCH PLANT IN THE WORLD. THIS PLANT WAS DESTROYED IN 1919 BY A DEVASTATING GRAIN DUST EXPLOSION THAT WAS THE WORST INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF CEDAR RAPIDS.
THE DOUGLASSES TRIPLED THE PROPERTY SIZE, ADDED A CARRIAGE HOUSE, GUEST HOUSE, SERVANTS QUARTERS, GREENHOUSE, BOOK BINDERY, SQUASH COURT AND PLAYHOUSE, AND MUCH LATER A POOL AND TENNIS COURT. .THE DOUGLASSES RENAMED THE ESTATE "BRUCEMORE".
AFTER THEIR DEATHS THE ESTATE WAS BEQUEATHED TO THEIR ELDEST DAUGHTER, MARGARET DOUGLAS HALL, MARRIED TO HOWARD HALL,IN
WHOSE POSSESSION IT REMAINED UNTIL MARGARETS DEATH IN 1981. THE ESTATE WAS THEN GIVEN TO THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
This multi-cache is only available during the hours that Brucemore is open.
Come and enjoy a stroll around the grounds any time the gates are open.
At times you may be the only one there, and at other times there will be plenty going on.
This is an 8 part multi loaded with goodies! There is a FTF gift in the final cache. If you take something out, please replace it with another quality item, no MacDonald toys, beads, junk, etc. Also, please limit yourself to 1 item per person.
Replace each multi exactly as you find it so that no part inadvertently gets discovered and carried off by a non-cacher.
Enjoy the gardens, pet cemetery (where the Hall's pet Lion, Leo, is buried as well as a multitude of their dogs, birds, etc), pond, and the apple orchard that has a direct decendent of Johnny Appleseed's plantings across Iowa. There is a plaque commemorating the tree.
Placed by permission from Deb Engmark, Head Gardener of the estates.
Congratulations to Busterbabes and F e r r e t p i l l a r for the FTF!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Fgntr 1 - Gurl unir tbar fbhgu sbe gur jvagre.
Fgntr 3 - Bu qrre, jurer pna vg or?
Fgntr 4 - Ybbx ybj gb gur yrsg bs gur syntfgbarf jurer gur
fgbar cvpavp gnoyr vf. Fznyy pnzbhsyntrq ivny.
Fgntr 6 - Nalbar xabj jung guvf guvat vf hfrq sbe?
Fbzrguvat zhfg tb ba vg.