Where The Wild Things Live Traditional Cache
WINGS teacher: Maintenance headache. Needs replacement whenever cleanup is done.
Where The Wild Things Live
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Difficulty:
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Size: 
(small)
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This a small size cache well hidden on rough terrain. Enjoy the surroundings of the park and the zoo nearby.
This cache is hidden outside the gates of the Dickerson Park Zoo here in Springfield, MO. The Satellites to Doorsteps class at Phelps Center for Gifted Education, in cooperation with the Zoo and the City of Springfield's GIS Office have worked on this project to provide GPS users with a GPS Tour of the Zoo. A beautiful map made by Cartographer and GIS Specialist, Nathan Huggins, incorporates the coordinates for all of the animal exhibits and building features throughout the zoo.If you are planning a visit to the zoo and want to take the GPS Tour you might ask at the desk about the availability of the maps. The zoo staff hopes to have them ready soon.
The Dickerson Park Zoo dates back to a pioneer homestead of 120 acres by Joshua Davis in 1837. By 1880 Swinea Hall had been built as a summer resort hotel on the property. In 1890, a zoo, then the largest in Missouri, was added to the resort facilities but closed after only four years.
The estate of Jerome Dickerson, Sr. sold the tract of land to the Springfield Park Board in 1922, and the City Park at Phelps Grove, complete with a small zoo, was moved there. Little was added from then until the mid-1970's at which time the zoo fell into great disrepair and almost closed. A effort to revitalize was spearheaded by the City of Springfield, The Springfield Park Board and the new organization now known as Friends of the Zoo. This venture proved successful! A master plan was instituted in the 1980's and updated in 1996 to add more exhibits, visitor services and accessible amenities, cultural attractions and improved landscaping that make a visit to the zoo very pleasurable and relaxing. The zoo has 70 acres and as of now 45 are in use and 25 remain for future expansion. The Dickerson Park Zoo has achieved professional recognition through accreditation by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association. For more information visit their website at www.dickersonparkzoo.org
(Above information taken from The Dickerson Park Zoo Master Plan's Executive Summary)Permission for this cache was given by Melinda Arnold.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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Treasures
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