Big Trees: Sand Pine - Weekends Only! Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

BoJaB: Hello ocklawahaboy

I am archiving this listing, if you get this one fixed within the next 30 days, send me an email. I will unarchive it for you provided that it still meets the guidelines.

BoJaB --- Volunteer reviewer in Florida

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Hidden : 4/17/2012
Difficulty:
1 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

This Cache is only available from 9:00am - 5:00pm Saturday, Sunday and Holidays!
This cache is probably not where you were thinking. It takes you to what used to be the largest sand pine in the ONF
The entrance fee to the park is $4.00 for a single occupant vehicle, $6.00 for 2-8 people.

This cache is placed by permission of park manager Sally Lieb. The reduced hours are due to the fact that the Cracker Settlement is part of a joint project between the county school system and the Silver River State Park. The area is not open to the public during the work-week.

The cache is a lock-n-lock under the bottom front step.

I have been coming to this park ever since the state bought the land and started opening it to the public on earth day each year. There were very few roads and trails and not one drop of pavement. Although I've had fond memories of the whole park, the cracker village is extra special. It started with the main dwelling and the school/chapel. They were built by my good friend Freeman Godwin. He redrew them, from memory, on the back of a soda flat and they were assembled at Mill Dam lake and moved here. This chapel/schoolhouse was built from the largest sand-pine in the ONF. It was designated superior sand-pine and, after it was killed by a lightning strike, was given to Mr. Godwin to be used for the project (yes he had his own sawmill). The whole chapel building came from the one tree. The other buildings were added one by one and, so far, I have known the previous owners of each of them. This area is not a replica that modern people built from old pictures or descriptions from a book. The buildings were built by Florida Crackers, some of them lived and learned in and they are here for us to enjoy and remember what life was like back then.

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