Waving Willie Tribute Cache Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

OReviewer: Per request of the management of Kittatinny Valley State Park, I am archiving this listing. This cache is not compliant with the state park caching policy.

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Hidden : 5/11/2011
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Large container amongst the rocks along the Sussex Branch Trail, in view of Willies home on route 206. Tons of swag, take one leave one! Enjoy

I had always wondered who this guy was from my youth of traveling to Pennsylvania on Rt. 206, so today I did a search and this is what I found. I felt it appropriate to place a cache for such a legend!

THE LEGEND OF WAVIN' WILLIE It was back in 1997 when we were touring the Newton area that we first encountered Wavin’ Willie. We were actually out on a tour of the area’s many tunnel systems with an underground friend of ours. While riding down Rt. 206, we passed a man sitting in a white plastic chair, methodically waving to every passing car. The portly white haired gentleman would alternate right and left hand waves to accommodate the north and southbound traffic, coaxing a quick honk from every passing motorist. "Who is that?" we asked our tour guide in amazed curiosity. "Oh, that’s just Wavin’ Willie," our host replied, momentarily loosing his subterranean train of thought. "WAVIN’ WILLIE?" we screamed. "Yeah, he’s been sitting there waving for the last 40 years," exclaimed our friend nonchalantly. "Don’t you see, this is what we’re searching for? Tunnels are cool, but man, WAVIN’ WILLIE! Now that’s a living local legend!" Our guide looked at us a bit confused. "I guess I’m just so used to seeing him everyday that I kind of forgot about him." That’s the way that it is with a lot of local legends; people tend to take them for granted, until one day when they are just gone. "Wavin’ Willie" Spranger collapsed in his driveway on Sunday, December 17, 2000, and was pronounced dead of a heart attack at Hackettstown Community Hospital. He was 80 years old. "Although you probably have received numerous letters regarding the recent death of "Waving Willie" from Byram, I felt compelled to share some thoughts about him. Growing up in the Byram area everyone knew who Waving Willie was. Five years ago I moved to Newton, NJ where I would have the opportunity to drive by Waving Willie's home whenever traveling down Route 206 South. On December 18th I noticed on my commute to work that his chair had some balloons on it. Usually in the early a.m., when I am driving to work he would be seen hitchhiking. I got a funny feeling that morning because I sensed something had happened. Shortly thereafter during my ride, WPLJ acknowledged his death on the radio. They claimed he had been waving to passerby's for 60 years. Whatever the length of time it was, what was most remarkable was the impact he had on individuals. As the days past, the slew of items around his chair grew. People left posters, balloons, flowers, etc, and on Christmas Eve someone put a tree out by his chair. It is nice to know that even the simplest people in life make the biggest impacts. As the poster and newspapers stated, ‘Wave on Willie.’" - Cindy S. Weird NJ

Congratulations to Fishhoop4787 on FTF!!

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