Archimedes Russell was born in Andover, Massachusetts, and educated in Boston. He established an architectural practice in Syracuse in 1862. His architectural work is well known throughout central New York, where he designed a number of civic and institutional buildings.
Archimedes Russell I shows you some of Russell's designs at Syracuse University. Archimedes Russell II and III show you Russell designed buildings in downtown Syracuse that were built between 1871 and 1906. In all cases, the first two stages require you to study the architecture of the buildings to obtain the coordinates for the third and final stage, which is a physical cache.
As these are downtown caches, you are not likely to find free parking during normal business hours. The walk between Stage One and Stage Two is 0.2 miles on good sidewalks over nearly level ground. The walk between Stage Two and the Final is also 0.2 miles on good sidewalks over nearly level ground. The return to your car from the Final is about 0.3 miles, for a total round trip of 0.7 miles. Our advice is to park in the parking garage or on the street (be sure to pay the meter if it's during metered hours) near Stage One and enjoy a pleasant walk through downtown Syracuse.
Stage One (posted coordinates): Completed ca. 1871, this Italianate brick structure was originally known as the Tallman Block, named after its original owner, a wholesale and retail grocer. It was built as a retail store and warehouse and was billed as "one of the best business blocks in the City". Ornate metal window caps give the facade a decorative look, and an Italianate metal cornice that once crowned the building was removed in the 1930's, along with the top floor of the building. There are several adjacent buildings in this block - to help you identify the right building, the buildings on either side of this one are taller than the one you're looking for.
There are four groups of windows on the second and third floors of the building. "N" is the number of windows in each of the four groups (not the total number of windows, the number in each group).
A=N x 3
B=N + 2
C=N
D=0
E=N + 1
The coordinates for Stage Two are: N43° 02.ABC W76° 09.DEE
Stage Two: This building was constructed in 1888 for C.W. Snow, a wholesale druggist. The building was originally 8 stories high and Syracuse's first tall building, towering over its four story neighbors. Archimedes Russell, who had served as president of the Board of Fire Commissioners, claimed it was the best fireproof structure in the city. Two stories were added in 1911 to conform to the height of an adjacent building. High above the street, almost underneath the cornice, there is a stylized flower motif.
The coordinates from Stage One will take you to a specific view of the building. "Y" is the number of arches on the second floor on this side of the building. "Z" is the number of ornate columns (topped with a round shape) between the windows on the top floor of the building (not every divider between the windows - just the ornate columns).
A=0
B=Y + 1
C=Y - 4
D=Z - 7
E=Z - 4
F=Z - 3
The coordinates for the final stage are: N43° 03.ABC W76° 09.DEF
Final Stage: The final coordinates will take you across the street from the former Third National Bank building (look due east from the coordinates to see the building), built in 1886, which shows a variety of textures and forms characteristic of the Queen Anne style. Steeply pitched dormers and entrance gables dominate the street corner the building sits on. A swirling "pie" motif stretches across fourth floor windows and flowers ornament the two main gables and above the side door.
The Third National Bank occupied the main floor and basement, with office rentals on the other floors until 1945, when the Veteran's Administration bought the building for their headquarters. Legend has it that a banker once occupied a fancy penthouse on top of the building with a bathtub "big enough to float a canal boat" and a huge hand carved fireplace. A mural on the north face of the building depicts salt crystals rising out of Onondaga Lake.
The final coordinates will take you to a micro cache that contains a log only. No room for trades, BYOP.