Skip to content

US Route 50 Then and Now:Smithton Flood Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

Backwoods Reviewer: As the owner has not responded to my prior note, I am archiving the listing.

Backwoods Reviewer
Geocaching.com Volunteer Reviewer

More
Hidden : 5/2/2011
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

Join now to view geocache location details. It's free!

Watch

How Geocaching Works

Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions in our disclaimer.

Geocache Description:

Series of caches highlighting the different paths that US Route 50 has taken over the years.

US Route 50 runs from Ocean City, MD to Sacramento, CA, over 3000 miles. This series focuses on the portion between Parkersburg and Clarksburg, WV. Locally known as Route 50, George Washington Highway, Northwest Turnpike, Cooridor D- this section is now entirely four-lane highway. There are still several segments of older highway that can be seen and travelled. In some areas, more than one older alignment may be found.

This cache will take you to the town of Smithburg, once known as Smithton. In June of 1950, a devastating flood struck Smithton as well as many other communities in this part of the state. From the June 30, 1950 Glenville Pathfinder:

The worst flash flood on record swept across parts of Gilmer and nine other central state counties Saturday night and Sunday morning and took the lives of some thirty-three persons, twenty-seven of whom were reported recovered by Wednesday morning.

Twenty two persons from seven families in Smithton lost their lives, the youngest being five months old. Water was said to be ten feet deep on the tracks, close to the monument you seek. Both the main east-west railroad, as well as US Route 50 were closed for a period of time due to the flood.

Cache is a larger micro. Easy parking. Cache contains log and pencil.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Tbggn tb orybj. Naq ybj.

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)