The
printed MML Passport is no longer available. However, you may
download a copy from the MML website
here.
The
trail consists of 11 MML Districts (regions).
The MML Geocache Trail project will launch January 1, 2009 with 78
participating cities and towns. A trackable geo coin will be given
to the first 500 geocachers as an incentive for locating at least 2
municipal caches in each of the 11 districts. To be eligible for
the coin, geocachers must pick up a Passport at any of the
designated county visitor centers. Geocachers must use the stamp in
the cache on their Passports and write down the cache code word
listed in each cache. After at least two municipal caches in each
district are discovered, geocachers may return to one of the county
visitor centers and have their Passports validated to receive their
collectable coin.
For a complete list of participating visitor centers visit the MML
web site at http://www.mdmunicipal.org/mmlhome/index.cfm or MGS web
site at www.mdgps.org.
The 800 acres that is now Mountain Lake Park might still be
known as “Hoyes Big Pasture” if the Mountain Lake Park Association
had not approved its purchase on November 2, 1881, for the sum of
$4,672. The Association had been created by four gentlemen of
Wheeling, West Virginia, for the purpose of establishing a resort
that would be founded upon Christian principles and provide
healthful recreation and religious and literary instruction.
Right after the purchase, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad ran an
excursion train from Baltimore to Mountain Lake Park carrying
people who might be interested in buying lots in the resort.
Purchasers had to agree that any house built would cost at least
$300—unless the purchaser was a clergyman, in which case the cost
requirement was only $150.
In the ensuing years, many improvements were made in the Park,
including damming streams to create a lake, constructing an
amphitheater able to accommodate 5,000 people, and construction of
hotels, boarding houses, an auditorium, an assembly hall, and
numerous fine residences referred to as “cottages.” Recreational
activities were added like bowling, croquet, swimming, and boating.
So which came first, the name or the lake? Why the name of
course!
Mountain Lake Park became an important center of the Chautauqua
movement in Maryland. From the 1880’s to World War I, the programs
attracted thousands who came by train from afar to hear prominent
speakers such as President Taft, Samuel Gompers, William Jennings
Bryan, and Billy Sunday. Many of these programs were held in the
5,000 seat Bashford Amphitheater.
Although the amphitheater is long gone, its ticket house still
stands as a testament to the idyllic times gone by. Find the ticket
house to find the cache and start your tour of Mountain Lake Park.
Visit the Town Hall at 39 23.764 W 079 22.695 to understand the
code word .
The cache you seek is a standard lock-n-lock container. Be sure to
stamp your Passport and write the secret code word in the
appropriate place.
Mountain Lake Park Thanks You for Visiting
Thanks to the Maryland Geocaching Society for assisting
with this project!