GC23MZ3 Clover Valley Prairie (Traditional Cache) in British Columbia, Canada created by Adroit Seeker

This cache has been archived.

Skookum Bear: As there has been no response from the cache owner, I am regretfully archiving the cache.

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GC23MZ3 ▼

A cache by Adroit Seeker Message this owner

Hidden : 2/4/2010

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

The first European entrepreneurs and speculators came to Surrey in the mid-nineteenth century. The rich soil, abundance of fresh water supplied from artesian wells, temperate climate and considerable rainfall made the area that is now known as Cloverdale, easily recognizable as having great potential for agricultural development. The area was first surveyed in 1859 and a small community formed around 1870. Cloverdale’s centre is at 176 Street and 56 Avenue.

Joseph Shannon arrived in this location in 1874 and purchased one section (640 acres) of land from the Crown. One year later, his two brothers, William and Thomas Shannon arrived and purchased 960 acres of land. It is said that a few days after arriving in the valley, in the year 1875, Mr. William Shannon had the occasion to write a letter and was in doubt as to how to head it. He looked out at the wild clover that grew abundantly everywhere and at once thought of Clover Valley. Soon afterwards he traveled to Victoria with a deputation to obtain a post office for the district and registered Clover Valley as the name.

Not long after the naming of Clover Valley, a road was constructed from the community to the Nicomekl River. It was at this junction that transport stern-wheelers brought basic provisions for the settlers and exported the farmers’ produce. The road was called the Clover Valley Road.

Joseph Shannon, who was involved in farming, became active in real estate with the prospect of the Southern Railway making a stop at Clover Valley. It was planned that the railway would pass through Clover Valley on its route from Bellingham to New Westminster. In anticipation, Joseph Shannon subdivided and sold some of his land to people speculating on the commercial development that would flourish around the train stop.

The train was routed through the property of a Mr. Robertson. In order to encourage the train to make its stop at his location, Mr. Robertson announced that he would deed a site to any individual venturesome enough to build a hotel to accommodate the men who would build the railway. John and Mary Starr took him up on his offer and built the Starr Hotel. They also purchased the adjoining property and opened a blacksmith shop and livery stable.

When the Southern Railway was actually built in 1891, Clover Valley was an obvious location for a station, due to the many facilities already in place. The railway engineers named the station “Cloverdale”, which was soon adopted as the new town name.

The cache is located in a part of the newest subdivision of Cloverdale, and sparks one of the last views of the Clover Valley Prairie area and the Nicomekl River.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Lbhe glcvpny glcr bs uvqr

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)

This cache has been archived.

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Clover Valley Prairie Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

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Geocache Description:

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