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Wierda Bridge Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

ROTSIP: 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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Hidden : 8/11/2007
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

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Geocache Description:


______WIERDA BRIDGE______

Sytze Wopkes Wierda
Born: 1839 02 28
Died: 1911 12 10

Wierda became the first engineer and architect to the South African Republic (ZAR) in 1887. Before he left Netherlands for South Africa, Wierda was nominated a member of the Royal Institute of Engineers (Netherlands) on 8 November 1887. He arrived in South Africa in late November 1887 to fill the new position of Government Engineer and Architect to the Transvaal Republic, his former colleague, K VAN RYSSE having temporarily filled this post until Wierda's arrival. It was Van Rysse who pointed out to President Paul Kruger that an architect was also needed in the Department of Works, in order to carry out all the works on which they were embarking. Kruger promptly appointed Wierda to the two posts of Chief Engineer and Architect to the Zuid Afrikaanische Republiek. In 1895 he became Chief of Public Works, the new title given to the post of Government Engineer and Architect of which he was the first bearer.

One of his most memorable buildings, the Staatsgimnasium (1899) has been demolished and was a serious loss to Pretoria's dwindling stock of significant historical buildings. Another loss was the decorative Klerksdorp Court House. Wierda was also responsible for the Wierda Bridge at SixMileSpruit (Hennops River), and for the design of the monument at Paardekraal near Krugersdorp. As the chief architect of the Transvaal Republic for fourteen years, Wierda built up a team of architects and draughtsmen who provided a high standard of design and expertise and provided the backbone of the Department of Public Works which laid the foundations for the PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT of the Union of South Africa.



The Cache:
The cache is a small camouflage lock-and-lock container located approximately 3,75m above ground. This bridge is used daily by muggles, so be on the lookout when retreiving the cache.

Original Contents of the cache:
* You guessed it, a logbook and pencil
* Padlock
* Key ring
* Mini-handcraft wooden car
* Red bouncing ball
* Glow in the dark mini-sticks
* Cache_fan's FTF Geocoin



The Hall Of Fame
cache-fan---rodnjoan---Jors---RedGlobe---Wildbirds---4x4Maniac---dakardrix---Trackz---Cabey---Team_Olo---Krazong---duracell1---Topstar---eragonSaphira---Brick---

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

"NERN NTRAG" jvyy yrnq gur jnl QBJA!

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)