Calkins Natural Area Tour Multi-cache
Calkins Natural Area Tour
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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The above coordinates will bring you to the parking spot for this cache. You will need to read to log for additional points to help you find the final location of the cache.
This cache is part of a project that my team has finished for my Honor's College Class at UVM. This cache is meant to help teach the community about the historical and natural aspects of Calkins Natural Area. I hope you enjoy this tour!
There are 6 locations you must visit, and at each one of these locations you will learn about the area, and then you must observe that area to find a number. You will then use this number to help you find the final coordinates for the final cache.
For a map of the places you will visit, you can take the following google link, or look at the image at the bottom of the page.
(visit link)
Use this key to help you find the final location of the cache:
44° 26. A B C North
73° 09. D E F West
Stage 1
House
44° 26.520 N
73° 10.560 W
In 1903, Herman H. Wheeler built a three story brick house one the property that exists on the property today. The house served in part as the Town Clerk’s Office until 1933, and during this time held the town safe.
The brick home itself features cherry and oak paneling that was harvested from the property, and is modeled in the style of Colonial Revival. The house faces Dorset Street, and has a balustrade roof deck that offers panoramic views of Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains.
With the advent of the depression, the Wheeler’s sold the farm in 1936, and Rena Calkins became owner the property in the mid-1940s. One of the large barns on the property burned down during the 1960s, and leaving only the brick house and one other structure on the parcel. The brick house was purchased by Paul Herald in 1961, and he lived in there until 1970. He ran his real estate office out of the brick house until 1991.
The property was purchased by the City of South Burlington in 1992, and the brick house is currently being leased as an office building for the National Gardening Association. A motion was passed in the City of South Burlington in 2008 that protects this parcel from becoming developed. This area exists today as public property, and is used as for community recreation.
Take the number of white pillars on the porch of the building, including the ones touching the brick, and put it for the number for A in the final coordinates.
Stage 2
Red Oak
44° 26.493 N
73° 10.367 W
In 1927, the Wheelers family cleared this land for livestock development. They left this red oak probably as a “shade tree” for their cattle to go under during hot summer days. The rest of this land was completely cleared, and that is why this tree is much larger than others on this property.
Take the number of trails that come together right in front of this red oak, excluding the small one going to the oak itself, and apply this number to B in the final coordinates.
Stage 3
Lookout
44° 26.376 N
73° 10.268 W
This is the lookout for the park. From here you can see a majority of Burlington, and the Calkins Property. Take the number of benches at this spot and add that number to part C for the final coordinates.
Stage 4
Sugarbush
44 26.478 N
73 10.123 W
Archaeological studies have been conducted on the Calkins Area to investigate whether or not this site could have been used by Lavenna and Lumoka tribes that existed in the area up to 500 years ago. These tribes developed some sugaring processes that allowed them to utilize the natural sugar bushes in this area. This Sugarbush however was probably created and tapped by the Wheeler family, and then was forgotten when the woods grew around it. My HCOL class actually got permission from the park to tap these trees for a project. We made 6 taps, and got about 80 gallons of sap. This is about equal to 2 gallons of maple syrup.
At this point there are a cluster of maples in a single location. These maples are close enough so that if you are touching one, you should be able to reach another. You should almost be able to “connect the dots” between the trees. Count the number of significantly sized maples that are in this approximate 15ft small cluster (one should be about 25ft away, don't count that one) and double that number to find part D for the final coordinates.
Stage 5
Shagbark Hickory Tree
44° 26.495 N
73° 10.094 W
The Shagbark Hickory tree has an ashy gray bark similar to birch trees except its bark separates into long strips, which give the trunk it's shaggy look. The Shagbark Hickory tree is tall and straight and can grow to about 100 feet tall. The Shagbark Hickories branches can spread to 25 feet, the lower branches somewhat droop while the upper branches are upright. The branches in the middle are just about horizontal. The wood of this tree is strong and tough. The Shagbark has both male and female flowers. Male flowers grow in bundles called catkins and female flowers are in clusters called petallets. The Shagbark Hickory tree has long taprooms which grow straight down into the ground to help the tree get extra water if there is a drought. These roots will be helpful to the life of the tree.
Look at the number of significantly sized Shagbark Hickory trees in the visible area, including the one you are standing next to, and multiply this number by 2.5 to find part E for the coordinates.
Info of Tree from: (visit link)
Stage 6
44° 26.672 N
73° 09.881 W
Old Tracks
This line of tracks is something we found on Google Earth when viewing the area. There is a very peculiar line that stretches across the property. We thought it may have been an old road, or old trolley line. You can see two raised areas on both sides of this track, and white pines took over the top of these raised areas leaving a clearly defined path. If you walk either way, you can see how the path extends in both directions for hundreds of yards.
We finally found out that this was indeed an old trolley line that used to stretch across Burlington. It is amazing how this trolley line has made such a mark on the land, and how we can still find it today.
Take the number of manmade benches you find within 10ft of this area, and add this number to part F of the coordinates.
Hope you enjoyed the cache!
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)