Please visit the cache that started it all, TwoCat’s - Downtown / Main Street USA: Edison, NJ. Here you will find the latest count of caches in the series and find out how you can add your own.
***********************************************************************
Matawan was formed as a borough on June 28, 1895 from portions of Matawan Township (now Aberdeen Township), and is part of the Bayshore Regional Strategic Plan, an effort by nine municipalities in northern Monmouth County to reinvigorate the area's economy by emphasizing the traditional downtowns, dense residential neighborhoods, maritime history, and the natural beauty of the Raritan Bayshore coastline.
The Aberdeen-Matawan train station on the North Jersey Coast Line is heavily-used and attracts riders from all over Western Monmouth County. Matawan is also the midpoint of the Henry Hudson Trail, a 9-mile paved trail built on the former Central Railroad of New Jersey right-of-way that extends east to Atlantic Highlands and south to Freehold. The greater Bayshore area has much to offer in terms of outdoor activities with nearby Cheesequake State Park and the Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area.
***********************************************************************
An interesting piece of Matawan trivia…the 1916 Shark Attacks
Despite being 11 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, Matawan was the site of three shark attacks on July 12, 1916, closely following attacks further down the shore in Beach Haven on July 1 and in Spring Lake on July 6. An unknown species, most likely a great white or bull shark, entered Matawan Creek where it killed a boy, Lester Stillwell; a man, Stanley Fisher; and injured another boy, Joseph Dunn. Over a two-week span, up to 100 sharks were killed during the hunt for this shark which came to be known as the "Matawan Man-Eater". A great white shark of 9 feet in length was captured and later dissected. In it they found 15 pounds of human flesh, confirming it as the possible killer, though it was never proven whether the shark was responsible for the off-shore attacks or for the Matawan Creek attacks. The attacks were the inspiration for the 1974 novel and 1975 movie Jaws and are considered to be one of the first attacks to be known worldwide.
***********************************************************************<<br />
This 4-stage multi-cache begins at the Aberdeen-Matawan train station and takes you on a 1.5 mile round-trip tour of Main St. through downtown Matawan. Plenty of parking is available at the train station parking lot, but check posted restricted parking hours to avoid getting a ticket. If you visit during the summer months, there is a local flea market that springs up on Saturday mornings in the south-western corner of the lot.
The posted coordinates take you within 100 ft the Aberdeen-Matawan train station.
There is no physical cache hidden near this location. There is absolutely no reason to be searching around the train tracks at this busy station!! Always use one of the marked, gated pedestrian walkways to cross the tracks if necessary.
To determine the coordinates for Stage 2, identify the 4 digit year (ABCD) located on the prominent feature located at the posted coordinates.
Stage 2: N 40° 24.(C-1)(B-4)(A-1); W 074° 13.(D-2)B(A+2)
At Stage 2, you will again find another 4-digit year (EFGH).
Apparently the sign at Stage 2 is currently missing. Until I can make it back to town to rework the puzzle, the year that you need at Stage 2 is the year at Stage 1 - 313.
Stage 3: N 40° 24.F(G-4)(H-3); W 074° 13.(F+3)G(E+A+1)
At Stage 3, you will find a 3-digit number (JKL).
Final Stage: N 40° 25.(K-1)(J-1)(L-E-4); W 074° 13.L(A+4)(H-6)
You can drive to all of the stages, but the cache was designed as a walking tour. Take in the fresh coastal air and enjoy the many historic buildings located all along Main St.
Have fun -- and good luck!!!