Champlain's Landing Traditional Cache
CacheShadow: *** Cache Listing Archived ***
The cache owner may contact me through my profile page if they wish to discuss the whether this cache listing can be Unarchived.
All outstanding issues would need to be addressed in compliance with the current Listing Guidelines.
CacheShadow - Community Volunteer Reviewer
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
This cache commemorates the history of this area known as Huronia
the current Townships of Tiny, Tay, the Town of Midland and
Penetanguishene. This location, on the banks of Penetanguishene
harbour, also symbolizes the importance that waterways played in
the discovery, exploration and colonization of the New World.
Sent by Samuel de Champlain at the age of 18, Etienne Brule was the
first to arrive in Penetanguishene in 1614. The young Frenchman
lived among the Huron people, learned their language and became a
vital link between the Huron and New France. In 1615 Samuel de
Champlain landed on the shores of this beautiful area once
commemorated here by a twenty-five foot cross. Remnants of the
cross and base are still visible and there are plans to rebuild the
monument. The first mass in Ontario was celebrated in the native
village of Carhagouha by Father Joseph Le Caron in the presence of
Samuel de Champlain on August 12, 1615. You can visit this site
while searching for a cache called Carhagouha (GCRNZD - N44 46.244
W 080 05.476).
From this point, the historical site of the Naval and Military
Establishments can be seen across the bay. In 1793, John Graves
Simcoe, then Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, arrived and
immediately saw Penetanguishene's potential as a naval base to
maintain warships, which could protect a new trade and exploration
route to the northwest.
In 1817, a naval base was finally established. Its purpose was
primarily to maintain naval vessels on the Upper Great Lakes. In
1828, Drummond Island was officially turned over to the Americans,
and the soldiery previously stationed there were relocated in
Penetanguishene. Along with this group of army personnel came a
group of "voyageurs" - hearty and strong men of French-Canadian and
Native heritage (Metis) who had shown intense loyalty to the
British Army during the War of 1812. These frontiersmen were
offered land by the government.
In the early 1840's, families from Quebec, attracted by promises of
cheap and fertile land, came to the area of Tiny Township and
settled in the present sites of Lafontaine and Perkinsfield.
Penetanguishene became the natural market and meeting place for
these early settlers and it soon became a thriving commercial
centre, which saw the development of a booming logging
industry.
Abinaki, the Algonquin name for Penetanguishene means 'the place of
the rolling white sands'. Situated on what is sometimes called the
sixth Great Lake, Lake Huron's Georgian Bay.
This cache is a small lock and lock type container covered in
camouflage tape. Its original contents include lapel pins from the
Township of Tiny and Tay and the Towns of Midland and
Penetanguishene. A miniature French Canadian red toque, a military
figure, a FTF pin, a smilie face ball, and a first edition Central
Ontario Geocachers Coin. Congratulations to Fingers Crossed FTF
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Va n pyhzc bs fznyy gerrf nobhg 2 srrg bss gur tebhaq.