Cache is a 32 oz clear plastic container.Initial contents include a logbook, pencils, pencil sharper, chalk, playing cards, balls, whistles, compass, and a few other goodies.
There is a white water tower near the cache, and the ruins of a very old hospital to the East.
Further to the East is a large open field with great views of Rockport Harbor and Sandy Bay.
Pools Hill is the highest natural point in Rockport.
This site was used by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army for an observation lookout tower since the late 1700's, and was instrumental in defeating the War of 1812. The tower was was first built by the Sandy Bay Militia who was the locally-sponsored home guard for coastal defense.
In the late 1800's the Navy operated a special defense station on this site that became a headquarters station for the surrounding area. The headquarters station was conencted to the local lighthouses, lookout towers, and remote observation sites. The breakwater visible on the far border of Sandy Bay creates a huge deep water port suitable for a large number of warships.
The Navy used this tower prior to and during World War One as destroyers and battleships used the Sandy Bay as a secure harbor (modern battleships, submarines, and modern aircraft carriers can actually visit Rockport).
The site was also used as a classified targeting site for controlling the massive artillery guns that were concealed nearby at the old Ox Pasture, and the rail based guns that were stationed near at at the rail road station. One of these massive guns can still be found in the woods near here, as well as the masive stone bunkers near Racoon Ledges where the explosive shells were stored.
Be sure to log the NGS marker - MY4937 (first order) just a few feet from the cache.
Just a word of warning: The area is roamed by flocks of rare wild blue haired crones. They are fun to watch, but tend not to be able to move very fast, they are not at all agressive, but please do not feed them goodies. Listen for their call, as it is a unique shrill, shrieking sound.
This is a great cache to take kids to find as it is filled with little trinkets and goodies that will appeal to kids.
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On the highest part of a prominent hill just N of the Rockport depot of the Boston and Maine railroad.
Marked by a cross in the shank of a standard station mark, the plate having been broken in setting the mark. The mark is surrounded by a triangle cut in the rock.
A reference mark, a standard bronze disk wedged in a drill hole in a boulder, with the inscription POOLE R.M. 1849, is 6.153 meters (20.187 feet) from the station, in azimuth 38 deg 38 min 47 sec. A cross on a large ringbolt is 3.154 meters (10.348 feet) from the station, in azimuth 192 deg 32 min 11 sec.
Distances to all marks checked approximately correct. The ring-bolt is better described as a large iron eye-bolt with six links of heavy chain attached. The cross is cut in the top of the eye-bolt. The azimuth to the eye-bolt is approximately correct. The azimuth to the reference mark is not correct and is approximately 95 deg. The arrow on the reference mark does not point toward the station but points approximately s 45 deg w true.
This occupied first order station is located on the highest part of a prominent hill, just NW of the Rockport Train Depot, 780 feet W of old hospital building.
Station is marked by a cross in the shank of a standard disk, the plate having been broken in setting the mark, surrounded by a triangle cut in the rock.
A cross on a large ringbolt is located 10.348 feet NE.
Reference marks--three state survey standard disks stamped pool hill 1849 no.1, 2, and 3 1939 respectively were set and located as follows--
Reference mark no.1 in a drill hole originally containing U.S.C. And G.S. Reference disk, 20.20 feet in geodetic azimuth 88 deg 39 min 55 sec.
Reference mark no.2 in a large boulder, 19.86 feet in geodetic azimuth 269 deg 39 min 12 sec.
Reference mark no.3 in a large boulder, 11.79 feet in geodetic azimuth 358 deg 28 min 29 sec.
Azimuth mark--stations Rockport, pigeon hill standpipe, are in geodetic azimuth 194 deg 23 min 46.6 sec.
View--the hill is wooded. A 22-foot tower was used in 1939, but a 37-foot tower is necessary to clear all directions.
Located on the summit of Poole hill which is the highest hill in the immediate vicinity of Rockport. It is about 0.3 mile WNW of Rockport Train Depot and 780 feet W of an old hospital building.
Station is marked by a cross on the shank of a standard disk, the plate having been broken off in setting the mark, and surrounded by a triangle chiseled in the boulder. There is a ring-bolt containing 5 links of rusty chain 10.348 feet NE of station.
Three reference marks are standard state survey bronze disks set in drill holes in boulders stamped pool hill, 1849, 1939 nos. 1,2 and 3 respectively.
Reached from railroad depot in Rockport by going NE on state highway 127 for 0.1 mile, thence left on paved street marked Poole Hill for 0.2 mile to stone gatepost to hospital grounds, go through gate, turn right on E side of house then W on trail on S side of barn, thence follow trail 0.15 mile to end of Truck travel, thence pack about 200 feet uphill to summit and station.
The station is located 36 ft. NW of a small frame shack, and 63 Ft. S of a well defined trail across the summit of the hill.
If you have read down this far into the description you deserve a pat on the back, and a little hint. The given GPS coordinates are for the NGS marker, not the cache itself. The cache is actually 58 feet away near one of the anchor chains.