Morgan Place
Arthur E. Morgan (1878–1975) was a civil engineer, administrator, and educator. Following his high school education he learned about hydraulic engineering by apprenticeship from his father. By 1910 he had founded his own firm and become an associate member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
After the disastrous flood in Dayton in 1913, Morgan proposed a system of dry earthen dams to control the river systems above Dayton. Despite protests due to his lack of formal engineering training, Morgan's plans were adopted and constructed.
Before the construction of Englewood Dam was started in 1918 under the direction of the Miami Conservancy District, Chief Engineer Arthur E. Morgan had a small community of “temporary” homes built south of the dam site, to house families of engineers and workmen who labored to build the dam. The self-sufficient “company” town was dubbed Morgan Place, and that name persists on some maps even today. The area is now part of the City of Englewood, Ohio, having been annexed by the City in the early 1970s. Construction workers who were bachelors, slept in a large barn that had been converted into a dormitory, and there was a communal mess hall and company store. After the dam was finished, many of the workmen with families bought their company houses and continued to live there for many years. These early residents of Morgan Place had their own homeowners association, which collected fees to operate the water and sewer system, school, and a local fire department. The town had at least one grocery market. The large cast bronze bell, now set in a place of honor within the original boundaries of Morgan Place, might have been used on either the firehouse or school, but its original use has not been verified.
For further information regarding history in this area or family genealogy, contact the Randolph Township Historical Society at www.rths.org.
Cache with confidence! This cache was placed with permission from the City of Englewood. In addition, the Englewood Police are aware of cache placements and have been known to offer hints to geocachers. Awesome!
Congratulations to jmurgatroyd for making this their first find!
Important notes:
Please drive carefully since there are small children in the area!
This cache is located in a very small neighborhood at the end of a cul-de-sac. The Englewood Police Chief says the cache placement okay, but if it becomes a problem he will ask me to remove it. To ensure this cache will be around for years to come please do the following:
1. Look for the cache in daylight hours only.
2. Only access the cache via Dublin Ave.
3. Park along the circle next to the woods. Do not park in front of the homes or block their driveways.
4. Disguise your cache hunting by bringing a camera and pretending to take a photo of the bell. Look the bell over well. Admire it! "Hey I am not here looking for a geocache, I am here admiring a valuable piece of history!" Then walk to the west side of the bell and bend down to tie your shoe. The cache will be underneath that edge.
5. BYOP