This cache was placed to highlight a wonderful park that has many opportunities to explore nature, history and sports. It is also the location of my first cache find -To the Overlook? I am amazed by the amount of local history and civil war events that have occurred close by but largely go unnoticed. Please take the time to visit Claude Moore Park and take in part of history by finding the Guilford Signal Station or visiting any of the other historic or recreational sites located here:
Claude Moore Park
Lanesville Heritage Area
Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum
Guilford Signal Station
During the Civil War, signal stations served as early warning posts, observation points, and communication centers. The "father" of the U.S. Army Signal Corps was Major Albert J. Myer, an Army surgeon with an interest in communications by sign language for the deaf and then in signaling over long distances with lightweight and simple to use equipment. He invented a signaling system using a flag (or a kerosene torch for nighttime use) that is known as wig-wag signaling, or aerial telegraphy.
On June 19th 1863, General John Fullerton Reynolds, I Corps, Army of the Potomac set up a signal station in what is now Claude Moore Park. General Reynolds had between 10,000-15,000 troops with him. He used the Lanesville house as his headquarters. The station was erected on the northwestern portion of the property at 442 feet in elevation, one of the highest points between Washington, DC and Leesburg. A telegraph wire was run to Fairfax Court House and the signal officer here constantly communicated with nearby signal stations attempting to locate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. The station was left on June 24th as General Reynolds pursued General Lee to Gettysburg, PA.
After decoding the message you will be taken to what could be the site of another signal station, that may have received messages from Guilford, had it existed in the 1860’s. The cache location is on a man-made hill, possibly a part of wetlands restoration project along Sugarland Run. The cache location is not a kid friendly location as you will have to walk along a busy roadway that does not have adequate sidewalks.
22 1 211 2 122 1 222 - 22 2 22 21 1111 21 122 12 1111 21 122 12 121 21 2111 21 22
121 21 2111 21 22 12 22 21 3
2212 121 21 2111 21 22 1 222 – 121 21 2111 21 22 1 2212 12 12 22 21 22 2 22 21 1112 2 2111 21
21 2 1122 211 1 333
You can check your answers for this puzzle on Geochecker.com.
Congratulations to HeikesFamily for the FTF and marking find 300 with this cache!
