When you're caching in a cemetery, you'll see gravestones and monuments of all kinds. Most are granite, marble, or New England brownstone, in colors ranging from gray to black, brown, red, or white. But every so often you might run across a smooth, gently tapering grave marker of distinctive design and a beautiful blue-gray color that sets it apart from the others. It will probably show little, if any, signs of weathering, even after 100 years or more. If you see a monument like this, gently knock on it. Surprise... it's hollow! That's because that 'stone' isn't really stone at all... it's metal! That's right... it's made of pure zinc. The Monumental Bronze Company, of Bridgeport, CT produced these monuments between 1874 and 1914, with most of them being made and sold in the late 1880’s. That means any one you find is more than 100 years old!
Here's an example:
'Zinkies', as they were sometimes nicknamed, were sold at prices ranging from under $2 to $5000. This was less than the cost of most stone markers and shipping charges were also less due to the lower weight. 'Zinkies' came in a number of different styles and in sizes from just a few inches to nearly fifteen feet tall. Most are in the shape of a four-sided pillar that gradually tapers in towards the top. The base is often finished to resemble rough stone, with the family name usually molded into the base. The blue-gray color comes from a substance called zinc carbonate which forms on the surface of the monument as it weathers over time, similar to the bluish-green patina on bronze statues or copper pipes. The company produced name panels that were attached to the monument by special screws with ornamental heads. This made it possible to change the panels and add names when additional family members passed away and were buried in the plot. There were also stock panels with poems, inspirational quotes, Scripture verses, flowers, crosses, and religious symbols. These name panels and screws are one of the easiest ways to identify a 'zinkie'; all zinc monuments, regardless of size or style, have them.
Here's a typical name panel:
Note the ornamental heads on the 3 screws that hold it in place.
In the forty years of its peak production, Monumental Bronze Company turned out thousands of markers, custom effigies, and stock statues, which can be found in cemeteries all over the US and Canada. They also made hundreds of Civil War memorials, which were erected in parks and town squares in more than 30 US states. Production stopped in 1914, when World War I began and the government took control of the factory and converted it to make gun mounts and ammunition. The supply of zinc, which is used in the making of brass, was also taken over by the government to produce brass for the war effort.
After the war ended, Monumental Bronze Company never fully recovered; they stopped making actual monuments, but continued to produce name panels and electrical parts for automobiles until about 1939, when the company went out of business altogether. But the 'Zinkies' have stood the test of time and exposure to the elements for 100 years or more, often faring better than their marble or brownstone counterparts. And 'Zinkies' are the subject of this cache hunt, as the 19th century meets the 21st in a "heavy metal" safari we call.....
"Monu-Metal II: The Grand Tour"!
Before you start, you should know that while this is a fun caching run to do with the kids on a sunny afternoon (they'll eat it up! 
), it's not a quick "cache-and-dash" trip. (Try 'Monu-METAL Tour #1" GC28QHW, for a shorter version of this cache hunt.) You'll be visiting 4 cemeteries in 4 nearby towns and locating 9 'Zinkies' on your way to the final stage, for a total distance of about 25 miles. (That's the only reason we gave it a difficulty of 2 -- there's no climbing or bushwhacking.) Figure 1½ to 2 hours if you want to do it all at once. Or, you can break it up if you wish, especially if you're planning to hunt some other caches in the towns you'll be visiting. You'll have to print a hard copy of this listing, as it contains the instructions you'll need to figure out the coordinates for each stage. A pad and pencil or calculator will help, too; there's a bit of math involved at some of the stops (don't panic-- it's nothing major, just simple arithmetic.) And don't forget your camera... while it's not a required 'tool' for this hunt, there are lots of great photo ops all along the way!
Remember: The four cemeteries you'll be visiting are all active ones, so please respect your surroundings and watch for funeral traffic, visitors, and cemetery workers. Please do not attempt to do any part of this cache at night. It is illegal in the State of CT for anyone to be in any cemetery from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. Some cemeteries may only be open during specific hours, so read the signs posted at the cemetery entrances and plan accordingly. Also, many cemeteries don't allow dogs or other pets, so keep that in mind.
All set? Okay, then....
Let The Hunt Begin!
The posted coordinates will take you to Stage 1 and the start of the tour-- welcome to Wilcox Cemetery in East Berlin, CT. Consider this your "warm-up" and "orientation" for the rest of the hunt. NOTE: It's important to follow the "One Way" signs on the road in this cemetery-- you might be tempted to turn left towards the 'zinkie' when you see it, but please don't do that. Park at N41° 37 .144 and W72° 43 .095 and it'll take you less than a minute to walk to Stage 1. When you drive out of the parking area on your way to the next stop, don't double back; follow the signs and drive around the loop, then turn right to the exit. You don't have to move or disturb anything on or around any of the markers in the cemeteries you'll be visiting. There's nothing hidden at any of the 9 stages before the final. All the info you'll need is in plain sight. You only have to read what's on the monuments. There's some math to do, but fear not; no trig, calculus or logarithms, just grade-school arithmetic. Study this stage carefully, remember how to identify a 'zinkie' (Quick review: blue-gray color, base finished to look like rough stone, family name usually molded into the base, four-sided pillar shape that gently slopes in towards the top, name plates attached by special screws with ornamental heads), and you'll be able to spot your target easily. Check the picture below:
If you're still not sure, knock on it and listen for a hollow ring! Got it? OK-- let's do some numbers!
The coordinates for Stage 2 are:
N41° 40. A-A-A and W72° 46. B-B-B
To find A-A-A, subtract 1294 from the year that ARLINE died.
For B-B-B, add 117 to the year EDWIN died. The last 3 digits of your answer is B-B-B.
Lock in those figures and set a course for "The Hardware City". (We recommend you take Rt. 9 North to exit 26, then follow the GPS from there.)
Zinkie Quickie: Although metal monuments were marketed as "white bronze", they were neither white nor bronze! 'White Bronze' was just an advertising term; the monuments were actually made of zinc, which is a natural element like iron or lead. True bronze, however, is an alloy, a man-made mixture of copper and tin first produced more than five thousand years ago; there are numerous references to bronze in the Bible. In spite of the firm's name, all of Monumental Bronze Co's products were cast from pure zinc, thus the nickname "zinkie".
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Stage 2: If the area looks familiar, then you've probably done one of our other caches here; welcome back! This is the first of two 'Zinkies' you'll be looking for here. (Interesting style, isn't it? Just needs a door and some doll furniture!) There's a large number on one side of this marker... stands out from the rest, for sure! Use it to figure your next set of coordinates, which are:
N41° 40.C-C-C and W72° 45.D-D-D
To determine C-C-C, take the first 3 digits of that large number, then add 384.
To get D-D-D, take the entire number and subtract 937.
Got your answers? Then load up the coords, but before you go, check out the really interesting grave stone next to the Zinkie, directly opposite CAROLINE'S name. Is that not cool?
OK...on to the next stop!
Stage 3: Impressive, yes? How about those Corinthian columns? Check between them and find the name of a man who fought in the Civil War. (Look for a military medal.) You'll need a bit of info from his service record to figure the coords of Stage 4, which are:
N41° 40. E-E-E and W72° 57. F-F-F.
To find E-E-E, take the number of the regiment in which he served (for instance, if it was the 29th Artillery, your number would be 29) and add 707.
For F-F-F, figure out CLARA'S age when she died in 1926, and subtract it from 337.
All set? Good! Get those coords into your GPS and saddle up... time to head WEST, pardner! (may we suggest Rt. 72 West to the end of the expressway, then let the pointer guide your way!)
Zinkie Quickie:All zinc monuments began as wax! The designs were sculpted from wax by an artist who worked at the plant in Bridgeport. The wax models were then covered with plaster to make casts, which in turn were used to make molds into which molten zinc was poured. The resulting castings were done in pieces and then fused together with more hot zinc in a process similar to soldering. Those pieces were sandblasted and steam-treated for a smooth surface finish and finally assembled into the completed monument.
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Well, it's not too wild, but it is the West, and the site of the next three stops on the tour. We decided to call this segment "The Law of Diminishing Returns"... you'll know what we mean by the time you're done here! Quick word of caution: There are some rather steep hills on a few of the roads in this cemetery, so if you park on any of them, be careful and remember to set your brake!
Stage 4: Pretty elaborate monument, don't you think? (What.... you need a HINT?? Oh, all right... think of the "siblings" to whom Bugs Bunny and Foghorn Leghorn owe their very existence!)
Math class again: The coords for the fifth stage are:
N41° 40. G-G-G and W72° 57. H-H-H
Find ALBERT'S age at the time of his death, multiply it by 10, then add 90. Your answer is G-G-G.
Next, find the age at which ADELINE died, add that to ALBERT'S age, and subtract your answer from 304. That's H-H-H.
Lock and load and follow that needle!
Stage 5: Hmmmmm.... The "returns" are diminishing, aren't they?
Another one of the many styles Monumental Bronze turned out from their plant in Bridgeport!
OK-- time to play the numbers (sorry, no Quik-Piks!) You need to figure out:
N41° 40. I-I-I and W72° 57. J-J-J.
For I-I-I, find the year VINA died. Then divide it by the day in October that JEROME died and subtract 347. (f'rinstance: if it was Oct. 12, you'd divide by 12, etc.)
For J-J-J, take the last 3 numbers of the year in which FRANK died, and from that, subtract 710.
Punch those coords in and it's downhill from here!
Stage 6: Are these cool or what? We'd read about this type of 'Zinkie', but didn't think there were any around here. If you brought your camera (hope you did!), shoot a picture or two, then it's time to go figure! You're looking for:
N41° 40. K-K-K and W72° 52. L-L-L
To determine K-K-K, you'll need to find the year MAX was born and subtract 1385. Then add ERNEST'S age at the time of his death (years only, not months).
For L-L-L, take the number you just figured out for K-K-K and subtract 31.
Check your math carefully and load up those numbers...we're headed back east.... BTW, beware of deja vu!
Zinkie Quickie: Because of their hollow construction, 'Zinkies' were sometimes used as hiding places for shipments of illegal liquor during Prohibition in the 1920's. Bootleggers would find a large one, open it up by removing one of the name panels and then stash their booze inside. Perfect setup-- (and who was gonna squeal, anyway?)
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OK... If you read the sign, you figured out what we meant about deja vu! Now you're on the home stretch!
Stage 7: Really neat design; the top just needs a few jewels to make a crown, doesn't it? And because we're feeling generous, here's a hint if you need one-- E-I-E-I-O.
I'll put another hint up if necessary, but for now, know this: 1. Sometimes something is being handed to you and you don't realize it. 2. Sometimes that which ISN'T there is just as important as that which IS. 3. The numbers are correct... it's still simple arithmetic! Now-- study the monument very carefully, THINK, then work out the coords for your next stop, which is located at:
N41° 40. M-M-M and W72° 52. N-N-N
To get M-M-M, take the first 3 digits of the year JOHN was born and subtract them from 537.
For N-N-N, take the last 2 digits of the year he died, and add 581.
If you did as we said and used your head, you shouldn't have had any problem figuring this set of coords! (sometimes there is such a thing as a free lunch! ) Check your work again and get those figures in your GPS-- the next stage awaits!
Stage 8: Did you have to knock on this one to be sure it was a 'Zinkie'? So did we! Never saw one quite like that before. But by now you should be an expert at spotting these monuments! OK-- let's scare up some numbers. Your next set of coords is:
N41° 40. O-O-O and W72° 52. P-P-P
To solve O-O-O, find HENRY'S age as it's shown on the monument, (years, months, AND days) and add those figures up. (f'rinstance, if it's 32 years, 6 months, and 19 days, you'd add 32 + 6 + 19.) Then add 457.
For P-P-P, take the year SARAH was born, subtract it from the number that stands alone under the crown, and add 467.
Punch 'em in and follow the arrow... you're getting warmer by the minute!
Stage 9: This is it-- the final one before the final! Really cool design, isn't it? (yeah, so maybe you DID see it before... like we said, deja vu!) Check it out carefully, because these numbers are the ones that you're gonna need to log that smiley. Want a hint? OK... the family name on the Zinkie is the same as a former US President from Plains, GA. Got it? Good -- here goes:
N41° 40. W-W-W and W72° 52. X-Y-Z
To get W-W-W, find ACSAH'S age (years only, not months) and add it to EMMA's age. Multiply your answer times 5, then add 1.
For X-Y-Z, take the year BURWELL'S WIFE was born (her name's NOT Acsah) and subtract it from the year BURWELL died. Take your answer and add 443.
Got it? Way to go!!! Load up those digits, and head for the finish line!
NOTE: Although the final is hidden within the cemetery, you DO NOT have to move or disturb any grave markers, monuments, or plants to find it! You're looking for a very well-camo'd flip-top container with just enough room for a log sheet (it's actually pretty much in plain sight!) You will need a TOTT to remove the log. Have your stealth moves ready as you near the final, as this is a very active cemetery with funeral traffic, visitors and cemetery workers. After you sign the log, PLEASE RE-CLOSE AND RE-HIDE THE CONTAINER CAREFULLY AND REPLACE IT EXACTLY AS YOU FOUND IT, since the first one was muggled and prying eyes still abound!
This was my first attempt at a multi this size; it took about 3 months of searching area cemeteries to find the zinc monuments and to get the coords and other information. So if you have any comments or suggestions, we'd like to hear them! Leave me an e-mail through this cache listing.
Props to happyhlpr-- FTF!! -- 2 Aug 2010
Special thanks to Fred W. Chesson, of Waterbury, CT, for your valuable contribution of the information and the history of the 'Zinkies'... couldn't have done this without you, Fred!
This concludes "Monu-METAL II: The Grand Tour". Hope you enjoyed it and perhaps learned a bit about an interesting piece of Connecticut history! Many older cemeteries have a 'Zinkie' or two somewhere among their other monuments... now you'll be able to spot them when you visit... it's fun!
And now UP AND RUNNING....
Check it out!