Snohomish History Cache and Travel Bug Rest Stop Traditional Geocache

This cache has been archived.

FobesMan: At one time this was one of my favorite cache placements but between the TB thief, the homeless guy, the letter boxers, the city moving it from the back to the front of the building without talking to me about it and the well-meaning but misguided others trying to help, it has become too much for me to maintain. Thanks to all that came and moved travelers through this cache as well as those just looking for an easy find. Time to let it go.

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Hidden : 1/22/2010
Difficulty:
1 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

This cache is placed with the knowledge and approval of the Snohomish Visitor Information Center and the City of Snohomish. The volunteers inside are aware of the hide. The cache is an Ammo Can and is in plain site. The container is secured and to keep the contents safe has a combination lock on it. Unscramble the hint to learn the combination.

Notice May 2, 2011: A Letterbox has been placed in close proximity to this geocache. The Letterbox is under the deck. The Geocache is an Ammo Can, painted black and clearly labelled as a geocache on the outside. It is NOT under the deck.

If you find the Letterbox please DO NOT remove the stamp or leave any travel bugs inside of it. The owners of both containers are aware of the others and will work to make sure that they are both being logged correctly and seperately.




This cache is in place both to highlight the history of the City of Snohomish as well as a place for Travel Bugs and Geocoins to stop in and rest on their journey to where ever it is that they might be travelling to. This cache IS NOT, a Travel Bug, Hotel OR Prison and has no restrictions (as I am not an advocate of that, but please be sure to log the bugs you leave in and the ones you take out of the cache) other than I ask that if you have a traveler and would like to place it here, you do, and if you can help a traveler contained within this cache reach or move towards it’s goal, that you take it. You do not need to place a traveler if you take one and you do not have to leave one to log this cache. I’ve wanted a place nearby to deposit travel bugs for others to retrieve and to have a nice safe place for out of towners to bring their bugs and coins when they are coming to the area. I will collect bugs and coins from here from time to time as well as drop some off for others to come and get. If you are close by and need a place to drop a bug, please consider doing so in this cache and while you are at it, feel free to visit the city and the surrounding area. Once you read the history I’ve included below I am sure you will agree that it is worth the visit.

It is my hope that this cache will attract cachers from all over the world to come to Snohomish to experience this beautiful, quaint and historic Western Washington City. Snohomish is a wonderful small town and exemplifies the term “community”; It is a perfect example of small town America while being only a short drive from a major metropolitan area. People live here for generations in the same houses that their parents and grand-parents grew up in. It is a wonderful place to raise a family and one that I am proud to now call home.

The Snohomish historic business and residential districts feature an eclectic mix of turn-of-the-century architecture. Founded in 1859, Snohomish is listed in the National Historic Register as one of the oldest communities in Washington. Snohomish is not just another garden-variety rural town, but a community with a proud pioneer heritage beckoning to be discovered.

Snohomish's architecture is a curious potpourri where builders used a pick-and-choose mix of styling. This is evident on the Blackman House on the corner of Fourth Street and Avenue D. Although the house is a Dutch Colonial revival-style, it has Queen Anne towers. The Blackman House also sports the early lumbermans name in brass letters in the sidewalk, and a leaded, beveled-glass door. Another example of fanciful architecture is the Klein house on Avenue D between First and Second streets. The house is a conglomerate of Victorian features, including fish-scale shingles and rounded windows. From Greek revival and English Tudor to Queen Anne Victorian and the classic box, the buildings of Snohomish reflect the diversity of its pioneer residents.

One of the first inland cities in the Puget Sound region, Snohomish was built where a planned military road connecting Fort Steilacoom and Fort Bellingham was set to cross the Snohomish River. The road, proposed in the wake of the Pig War, was intended to be built far enough inland to be safe from British naval attacks. Although the road was never completed, Snohomish quickly became a local center of commerce in the expanding region. In 1861, Snohomish County split from Island County and the Village of Snohomish was voted the county seat. The Seattle, Lake Shore, and Eastern Railroad (S.L.&E.) built a rail line that ran from Seattle, through Snohomish and eventually to Sumas at the Canadian border. Construction on the complete line was finished in 1889. In 1892 the Sumas Branch line between Snohomish and Arlington was purchased from S.L.&E. by Northern Pacific and later sold to Burlington Northern. Portions of the line were used until the Snohomish-Hartford section was shut down in 1987. What remains of the original rail bed between Snohomish and Arlington has been converted into the Centennial Trail, a popular recreational trail used by walkers, bicyclists and horse back riders.


Snohomish remained the county seat until 1897 when the seat was relocated to the larger neighboring city of Everett, Washington after a controversial and contested county-wide vote. After losing the county seat to Everett, Snohomish became the rural community that is still evident to this day. From the Airport just to the south of the river, to the historic downtown, the antique shops, Blackman Lake and the Centennial Trail there are many wonderful things to enjoy about this city.

As a final note, I’d like to suggest that you take a stroll along 1st Street to window shop the many antique shops that make Snohomish the Antique Capital of the Northwest. You can make the return trip along the Snohomish River Trail for a nice look at the river. Also, don't miss the Oxford Saloon which was originally the Blackman Dry Goods Store, another historic landmark. The saloon was at one time a brothel and is said to be haunted to this day by as many as 18 ghosts, the most famous of which is a policeman named Henry who was killed in a knife fight in the stairwell leading to the lower bar.

I hope that you have enjoyed this bit of history, the cache and of course, downtown Snohomish. Thanks for taking the time to look for one of my caches.
Congratulations to fatguybp for FTF!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Gb haybpx gur pnpur ghea gb gur evtug guerr shyy eribyhgvbaf naq fgbc ba gur ahzore 1. Ghea bar shyy eribyhgvba gb gur yrsg tbvat cnfg gur svefg ahzore naq gura Fgbc ba gur yrggre N. Ghea onpx gb gur evtug naq fgbc ba yrggre Q. Gur pbzovangvba vf gur vagrefrpgvba bs gur fgerrgf gung vg fvgf ba. 1fg Naq Q.

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)


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