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Strolling Through History: Part One Marion, SC Mystery Cache

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EZtrack: Going to shut this one down since one of the signs has changed.

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Hidden : 1/31/2009
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

You're looking for a magnetic key holder.


 Strolling Through History:
 Part One in
 Marion, SC


1-Go to the above posted coords

      These coords will bring you to The Grove - The Inn on Harllee B&B. The Grove is located on a ten acre green space in the heart of Marion, a remnant of a large farm which refused to yield to development. Half of the acreage is maintained as a park by the city and half is owned privately and contains the gardens and buildings which were once needed in operating the estate known as "The Grove"  where the gates are always open to welcome you. The Eastlake style manor house which was completed in 1895 is the centerpiece of the estate. The 7000 square foot mansion provides for spacious public areas and guest rooms. Each room makes a distinctive architectural and decorative statement. The three parlors and dining room on the first floor are set apart by wide intersecting halls which form an arch at the point of intersection. At the coords you will be standing next to an ornate mailbox. On this mailbox are some letters, count the number of letters and this number will be Z. Z minus 6 = A


2-Go to N34 10.530 W079 24.032

     These coords will bring you to The Episcopal Church of the Advent which was organized in 1868. The cornerstone of the church was laid in 1880 by General W. W. Harllee and within it are placed the names of J. F. Finger, builder, and George Edwards, mason. The small modified Gothic structure was originally built of wood and later brick veneered in 1928. The Church of the Advent was the first charge for three young ministers who later became bishops: William A. Guerry, E. A. Penick and Albert S. Thomas. William S. Mullins (for whom the city of Mullins is named) was also a strong supporter in the organization of this church. You will be standing next to a sign. Count the number of stars on the shield of this sign and this number will be Y. Y minus 9 = B


3-Go to N34 10.698 W079 23.818

     These will bring you to the First Methodist Church. This yellow brick structure with heavy stone exterior detail is an excellent example of neo-classic architecture. The present church built in 1912, with additions in 1957, replaced a frame church completed in 1853 on the same site. The first congregation assembled at Flowers Meeting House, which stood about one mile north of Marion opposite Oak Hall. Before 1800 the church was moved near Smith Swamp and called Bethel. In 1818 a brick academy was built on Godbold Street where the church now stands and the upper story was used for services at a later date. A church was then built in 1835 on the northwestern corner of Pine and Godbold Streets. Erected and completed at a cost of $1,200.00, here the Methodists of Marion continued to worship until some 20 years later when Marion's growth made a new church necessary. On either side of the steps leading up to the front doors of the church are 2 light poles with round globes on top of them. Count the number of globes on  top of each light pole and the total number of globes will be X. X minus 4 = C


4-Go to N34 10.743  W079 24.003

     These coords will bring you to the Frances Marion Monument, a 7' tall bronze statue which was cast in Italy and rests on a base of Winnsboro blue granite upon which are engraved details of Marion's life.  Francis Marion also known as "The Swamp Fox"  was born in 1732 at the Goatfield Plantation near Georgetown, SC, died in 1795 and is considered one of the fathers of modern guerrilla warfare, and is credited in the lineage of the United States Army Rangers. He began his military career shortly before he was 25 and served in the French and Indian War in 1759. In 1761 he served in the campaign against the Cherokee uprising, in 1775 he was commissioned captain in the 2nd S. C. Regiment and also in 1775 he served as commander of Fort Dorchester. In 1776 he served in the defense of Fort Sullivan and Fort Moultrie, in Charleston Harbor. In September 1776, the Continental Congress commissioned Marion as a lieutenant-colonel. In the autumn of 1779, he took part in the Siege of Savannah  and early in 1780, under General Benjamin Lincoln was engaged in drilling militia. After the loss in Charleston, Marion organized a small troop, which at first consisted of between 20 and 70 men—the only force then opposing the British Army in the state. At this point, he was still nearly crippled from the slowly-healing ankle which occurred in Charleston. With his militiamen, Marion showed himself to be a singularly able leader of irregulars. Unlike the Continental troops, Marion's Men, as they were known, served without pay, supplied their own horses, arms, and often their food. All of Marion's supplies that were not obtained locally were captured from the British or Loyalist ("Tory") forces. Marion rarely committed his men to frontal warfare, but repeatedly surprised larger bodies of Loyalists or British regulars with quick surprise attacks and equally quick withdrawal from the field. He got the name Swamp Fox when Col. Banastre Tarleton was sent to capture or kill Marion in November 1780, despaired of finding the "old swamp fox", who eluded him by traveling along swamp paths. Once Marion had shown his ability at guerrilla warfare, making himself a serious nuisance to the British, Governor John Rutledge commissioned him a brigadier-general of state troops. Marion served several terms in the SC State Senate and in 1784, in recognition of his services, was made commander of Fort Johnson, practically a courtesy title with a salary of $500 per annum. He died on his estate in 1795, at the age of 63. On the monument is an inscription of 3 names. Find the name that begins with "S.". Count the number of letters in his title and this will be W. W minus 5 = D


5-Go to N34 10.567 W079 24.026

     It will bring you to the Bethea House. Florence and P. Y. Bethea built this excellent two-story Victorian home in 1880. Porches across the front are on both floors with brackets at the eaves and scroll work the same as 211 S. Main St. Interior details are large rooms with high ceilings, a bay window in the dining room and old mantels. Find the address of the house and take the last number in it and that will be V. V plus 6 = E


6-Go to N34 11.000 W079 23.908

    These coords will bring you to the Marion Railway Passenger Station. This one-story brick passenger station is typical of the architectural style used for the early small town station. A slate roof with an overhang is supported by decorative brackets. The windows have stone lentils and sills. The city now owns this building which is now being used for offices. The present building was built in 1908 replacing the original frame structure. The brick freight station built in 1888 was torn down in 1976. The first railroad through Marion was the Wilmington and Manchester, which was completed in 1854. Locate the plaque on the train depot telling to whom the train depot was dedicated to and on what date. Take the first number in the year it was dedicated and that number will be U. U = F


7-Go to N34 10.766  W079 23.987

     These coords will bring you to possibly the oldest house in Marion, The Godbold House. An old Marion Star reports that the attic wall was painted "Built by Thomas Godbold 1804". The home of Thomas and Ann Godbold, the original house was four rooms with a large hall dividing on both levels and an attic. The house was remodeled in the 1870's when bay windows and an upper story to the piazza were added. The first known settler in the area was John Godbold, an Englishman and Thomas's grandfather, who landed at Georgetown in 1735, and came prospecting through the wilderness until he found a spot that suited his fancy, about a half-mile south of the present county seat, the town of Marion. The trail that he followed from Georgetown became the road which was used by the first colonists, and is now part of the State Highway. On either side of the front door to the house is a set windows. Count the number of small panes of glass in each window on both sides of the door and that number will be T. T minus 8 = G.


8-Go to N34 10.740 W079 24.176

      These coords will bring you to The Marion Academy Building, built in 1886, and is now home to the Marion County Museum and site of the original Harvest of the Arts Festival celebrating the area's quality of life. There had been an earlier Marion Academy Society chartered in 1811. There were two previous academy buildings on Godbold St., after one was destroyed by fire, school was held in the lower floor of the Masonic Hall until 1886. The building originally had a double portico across the facade and a cupola in the center housed the bell. The academy became the first complete graded school in old Marion District. The Marion Graded School, closed in 1976 after 90 years of continuous service to the community. There is a historic marker in the front of the Academy and on top are four numbers the third number will be S. S minus 1 = H


9-Go to N34 10.680 W079 23.655

    These coords will take you to the Young-Johnson House. This house is a low country raised cottage showing Greek Revival influence. A large sweeping piazza is supported by 6 Doric columns independent of the porch. Fine paneled woodwork, high medallioned ceilings, massive doors and locks characterize this house. Major Johnson B. Young, who came to Marion in the 1840's lived here. The house was later owned by John Monroe Johnson and eventually became the property of his son, Colonel Monroe Johnson and his wife Helen Barnwell. She planted a poppy garden with seed sent from Flanders Field by her husband when he was with the famous Rainbow Division. Colonel Johnson was later Assistant Secretary of Commerce under Roosevelt and chairman of Interstate Commerce Commission, Director of Office of Defense Transportation in WW2. Find the address of this house and take the first number and that number will be R. R plus 3 = J


10-Go to N34 10.722  W079 24.032

     These coords will bring you to the Marion County Courthouse. The first frame courthouse, which was a wooden building,  was erected in 1800 and used continuously until 1823 when it was sold and moved to the present site of the Baptist Church and used as a dwelling. The second courthouse was made of brick and native clay and soon proved to be too small, and the current courthouse was completed in 1854 at a cost of $12,500. The building was restored in 1970, the original ironwork remains and each step bears the name and address of the metal worker, Haywood Bartlett, Baltimore. Its architectural style is adapted from the Georgian. Square rusticated pillars support four Doric columns and the pediment. Wrought iron stairs curve upward to the courtroom portico. Find the historical marker next to the Courthouse. On the bottom of the marker is the year the marker was erected. Take the third number and that will be Q. Q plus 1 = K

FINAL CACHE COORDS N34 AB.CDE W079 FG.HJK


You can check your answers for this puzzle on "http://www.geochecker.com/index.php?code=684b71ed3c8fa5ab9794b204e6b0346d&action=check&wp=4743314d384a44&name=5374726f6c6c696e67205468726f75676820486973746f72792050617274204f6e65204d6172696f6e"> Geochecker.com.

Check out the other Caches in

Strolling Through History:

GC250VQ Tabor City, NC

GC1MEP7 Another Part Marion, SC

GC23N91 Mullins, SC

GC246TW Mullins, SC, Part Two

GC1KCRX Wilmington One Block

GC1HR86 Wilmington The Ride

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Vg'f fhpu n terl qnl.

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)