MLT - Cooks' Prairie Traditional Cache

Cook's prairie is the first area to be settled in Clarendon Township. The first settler was Anthony Doolittle in May 1832. The area is now named after the Honorable William Cook who settled in the area shortly after Doolittle. The first school in the township was held in this area. The first teacher was Timothy Hamilin and classes were held in the log home on the cook farm, which was their first home built in six days. A frame school was then built which was later bought and moved to Homer. The next school was Fractional District No. 1 which was a brick structure built opposite the Free Will Baptist Church up the road at L Dr. A post office was established on July 25, 1840 where Lewis Benham was appointed as the first postmaster. The post office closed a few years later on August 24, 1858.

When this area was first settled, the area around it was heavily forested with sugar maples and the area was known for the abundant flow of maple syrup.