To access this cache, park at N 42° 59.284 W 072° 00.948 in a small
lot with a sign for Welch Farm and walk uphill into a field. The
posted coordinates for this cache will take you to a plaque. It
marks the location of the Welch Family Farm. It was the site of a
farmhouse complex, probably dating from the early 1800s. In 1878,
the railroad came to the Hancock area, with a major stop at nearby
Elmwood Junction, and a smaller branch line which went to the
Hancock Depot. Many came up to escape the heat and crowds of the
cities. The Welch family saw the opportunity to open their
farmhouse to summer boarders beginning in 1883. Guests were met at
the railroad station and brought to the boarding house by
horse-drawn wagons. Several other families in the area also opened
their homes to boarders around the same time, as it was quite a
profitable business for a while, and allowed the family to maintain
their farming business as well.
In 2000, Elizabeth Welch, the last Welch family inhabitant from
the farm, donated it to
The Society For Protection of New Hampshire Forests. They now
maintain the property, a few marked trails, and a tree farm. More
trails may be developed in the area in the future, including nearby
woods where experienced tracker John Kulish loved to explore.
To get to the final, you must get two dates from the plaque,
then do some simple arithmetic. For the NORTH decimal digit,
A, take the date the Welch family first inhabited the farm,
and subtract 1380. For the WEST decimal digits, B, take the
date that Elizabeth Welch first inhabited the farm, and subtract
1006. Then continue uphill to the old town road and enjoy a nice
walk to the final at N 42° 59.A, W 072° 00.B.
The container is a small camoed canister, containing an
unactivated geocoin for FTF, thanks to Boatrs who donated it to
last week's raffle. Can't remember whether it had a pencil, so
bring your own.