Rockford Park Traditional Cache
Evanspack: Checked this out tonight during a pretty awesome thunderstorm, and it is indeed gone. This spot looks like it might be getting alot of muggle traffic, so I am going to archive this cache! Keep a look out for a new one in the near area! Thanks to all who visited this location!
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Rockford Tower- Wilmington
History
Rockford Park is home to one of Wilmington's most recognizable
landmarks, Rockford Tower. At the turn of the century, Wilmington's
growing population put increasing demands on the city water system.
The hill on which Rockford Tower stands was then known as Mt. Salem
Hill because of its propinquity to Mt. Salem Church, which was
built in 1879. Mt. Salem Hill was ideal for a water tower to which
water could be pumped from the Cool Spring reservoir and from which
it could then flow to homes in the developing Highlands
neighborhood. Interest in a water tower in that vicinity coincided
happily with a hope expressed by the Park Commissioners in 1895 -
to build an observatory on the hill to provide a place to view the
scenic Brandywine. In giving permission to the Water Department to
build on the parkland, the Board of Park Commissioners required
that the tower include an observatory and that it be constructed in
a style and from materials that would suit Rockford Park.
Work on the tower began in 1899 and was completed in 1901. Because
the tower was built on the land given by the DuPont Company in
1895, land on which no building open to the public was to be
constructed, before visitors could mount the 132 steps to the
Observatory, the city had to be persuaded to accept liability for
any harm done by a powder explosion. This arrangement accomplished,
the tower opened to the public in 1903 and proved a popular
destination.
Both children and adults have long enjoyed baseball, tennis, and
football on the playing fields at Rockford Park and, since 1952,
have come to the park each May for Flower Market, but probably the
recreational activity most often associated with the park is
sledding. As early as 1914, the hill below the tower was lighted
for night sledding and iced to create a smooth course for sledders.
In 1936, workers participating in the Works Progress Administration
[WPA] program of the New Deal enhanced the sledding course. A WPA
publication predicted the improvements would provide "new coasting
thrills for the thousands, who, every winter, throng "Sledding
Hill."
Cache
This cache is a regular size Lock&Lock and is a very easy find
with very close parking at N39 46.135 W075 34.328.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Haqre ynetr ebpx