Back in the summer of 2002, I was visiting a cemetery in central CT, along with a very interesting gentleman by the name of Fred Chesson,who was doing some research for an article on a web page he had published. As we walked among the gravestones, Fred called my attention to one that looked quite a bit different from the rest. Then, he told me to go up and knock on it. I started thinking that he must have been out in the hot sun too long, but did as he said. And that's how it all began......
When you're caching in a cemetery, you'll see grave markers and monuments of all kinds. Most are granite, marble, or New England brownstone, in colors ranging from gray to black, brown, red, or white. But every so often you might run across a smooth, gently tapering grave marker of distinctive design and a beautiful blue-gray color that sets it apart from the others. It will probably show little, if any, signs of weathering, even after 100 years or more. If you see a monument like this, do like I did and knock on it. You'll be as surprised as I was to find... it's hollow! That 'stone' isn't really stone at all... it's metal! That's right... it's made of pure zinc. The Monumental Bronze Company, of Bridgeport, CT produced these monuments between 1874 and 1914, with most of them being made and sold in the late 1880’s.
Here's an example:
'Zinkies', as they were sometimes nicknamed, were sold at prices ranging from under $2 to $5000. This was less than the cost of most stone markers and shipping charges were also less due to the lower weight. 'Zinkies' came in a number of different styles and in sizes from just a few inches to nearly fifteen feet tall. Most are in the shape of a four-sided pillar that gradually tapers in towards the top. The base is often finished to resemble rough stone, with the family name usually molded into the base. The blue-gray color comes from a substance called zinc carbonate which forms on the surface of the monument as it weathers over time, similar to the bluish-green patina on bronze statues or copper pipes. The company produced name panels that were attached to the monument by special screws with ornamental heads. This made it possible to change the panels and add names when additional family members passed away and were buried in the plot. There were also stock panels with inspirational quotes, Scripture verses, flowers, crosses, and occupational and religious symbols. These name panels are one of the easiest ways to identify a 'zinkie'; all zinc monuments, regardless of size or style, have them.
This is a typical name panel:
Note the ornamental heads on the 3 screws that hold it in place.
In the forty years of its peak production, Monumental Bronze Company turned out thousands of markers, custom effigies, and stock statues, which can be found in cemeteries all over the US and Canada. They also made hundreds of Civil War memorials, which were erected in parks and town squares in more than 30 US states. Production stopped in 1914, when World War I began and the government took control of the factory and converted it to make gun mounts and ammunition. The supply of zinc, which is used in the making of brass, was also taken over by the government to produce brass for the war effort.
After the war ended, Monumental Bronze Co. never fully recovered; they stopped making actual monuments, but kept producing name panels and zinc electrical fittings for cars until about 1939, when the company went out of business altogether. But the 'Zinkies' have stood the test of time and exposure to the elements for over 100 years, often faring better than their marble or brownstone counterparts. And 'Zinkies' are the subject of this cache hunt, (including the very Zinkie which Fred Chesson pointed out to me in 2002 and from which this cache takes its name!) as the 19th century meets the 21st in yet another "heavy metal" jaunt we call.....
"Monu-Metal III: How It All Began"!
Before you start, you should know that while this is a fun caching run to do with the kids on a sunny afternoon (they'll love it! 
), it's not a quick "cache-and-dash" trip. (Try 'Monu-Metal Tour #1" GC28QHW, for a shorter version of this cache hunt.) You'll be visiting 5 cemeteries in 2 nearby towns and locating 14 'Zinkies' on your way to the final stage, for a total distance of about 16 miles. (That's the reason we gave it a difficulty of 2.) Figure 2½ to 3 hours if you do it all at once. But you don't have to tackle the whole thing in one shot; you can break it up and do a few stages at a time, especially if you're planning to hunt some other caches in the towns you'll be visiting. You'll have to print a hard copy of this listing, as it contains the instructions you'll need to figure out the coordinates for each stage. Bring a pad and pencil or calculator, too. (And don't forget your camera... while it's not a required 'tool' for this hunt, there are lots of great photo ops along the way!)
A Few Things To Remember: The cemeteries you'll be visiting are all active ones, so please respect your surroundings and watch for funeral traffic, visitors, and cemetery workers. Observe and follow all speed limits, parking rules, and one-way roads. Please do not attempt any part of this cache at night. It is illegal in the state of CT for anyone to be in any cemetery from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. Some cemeteries may only be open during specific hours; plan accordingly and read the signs posted at the entrances. Also, most of the cemeteries don't allow dogs or other pets, so keep that in mind as well.
You do not have to move or disturb any grave markers, plants, monuments, or other objects in any of the cemeteries you'll be visiting. The information you need is in plain sight on the 'Zinkies'. All you have to do is read it. Of course, if you've done one or both of the other "Monu-Metal" caches, then you should be an experienced 'Zinkie' spotter by now! (If not, we guarantee you will be by the time you reach the end of this multi!) Refresher course! Here's a quick review on how to spot a 'Zinkie'--
All set? Okay, then....
Let The Hunt Begin!
Stage 1-- The posted coordinates will bring you to the start of this adventure, and your first Zinkie. This is one of the nicest styles, I think. Check out the top... looks a lot like a crown, doesn't it? Go ahead, shoot a picture of it, if you like. And now we're going to do something different here... for the math puzzle, take a look at the objects on the ground near the Zinkie. Interesting, aren't they? And yes, they're zinc, too! (same blue-gray color, and if you still don't believe us, go ahead and knock on one!) They're called "footboards" or "footers", since they're usually placed at the foot of each individual grave in a family burial plot like this one (the head faces the main marker.) To get the coords for the Stage 2 (and the next cemetery), we're going to concentrate on the footers.
The coordinates for Stage 2 are:
N41° 31.AAA
W72° 48.BBB
To find AAA, count the total number of zinc footers. Take that number and add 196.
Now, look for the footer that's completely different from the others... it sticks out like the fabled sore thumb!
There's a man's name on the front of it. Take the number of letters in that name and subtract it from 864.
That's BBB. Got it? Check your math, load up those coords, and just like in the Allman Bros. song, we're "Southbound"!
Stage 2-- This is an impressive cemetery, isn't it? There's a good array of Zinkies here. Take a look at the first one. How about those columns? This design was very popular, and you may have seen one like it in another of our other "Monu-Metal" caches. OK... let's get down to business!
The coordinates for Stage 3 are:
N41° 31.CCC
W72° 49.DDD
Because you had to go out of your way to get to this stage, we'll spare you the math on this one... it'll be a multiple choice.
There's a sculpture of a very familiar object on one side of this Zinkie. To find CCC, look at the object and decide what person would be most likely to use it.
If that person's a FARMER, CCC equals 100.
If that person's a SAILOR, CCC equals 119.
If that person's a WOODCARVER, CCC equals 138.
To find DDD, look for a symbol on the Zinkie. It refers to an organization with the word 'KNIGHTS' in its name, of which this gentleman was a member.
If it's the KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, DDD equals 066.
If it's the KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS, DDD equals 046.
If it's the KNIGHTS TEMPLAR, DDD equals 026.
Pencils Down... Got the answer? Enter it and follow that needle!
Stage 3-- Check out the detail on this Zinkie... those artists at Monumental Bronze Co. were masters at what they did, weren't they? But who did that to the Zinkie? We've seen several other instances of this in a few places. Doesn't look like vandalism; if it was some amateur attempt at preservation, there's no need for it... natural weathering causes a coat of zinc carbonate to form on the surface of the monument, which not only gives it that distinctive blue-gray color, but also protects the zinc underneath it from the elements. That's why most of these monuments are still in near-perfect condition after 100 years or more. See? Goes to show-- you never know what you might find when you're caching! Back to the task at hand:
The coordinates for Stage 4 are:
N41°31.EEE
W72°49.FFF
NOTE CAREFULLY: The first digit of FFF is a ZERO... remember to put it in when you've done the math!
To get EEE, find the year that WILLIAM was born and subtract it from the year that he died. Then add 70.
For FFF, find the day of the month that FREDDIE died (f'rinstance, if it was the 19th, your number would be 19). Then add 11 and put a ZERO in front of your answer! (Example: if the answer is 14, put a zero in front of it to make 014.) This is very important to get the right coords for the next stage; otherwise, you may wind up in the middle of an outdoor meeting in some distant town, listening to a report on projected rake-handle production for fiscal year 2018-2019... who needs that?
Got it? Check your figures one more time, punch 'em in and start walkin'!
Stage 4--< Didja find it right away? Maybe, but we think you probably had to look around a "little" bit! 
Interesting, isn't it? As we said, Monumental Bronze made grave markers in a lot of styles, sizes and price ranges... how's this for "comparison shopping"? All kidding aside, this is the first time we've run across a Zinkie like this one; if you brought your camera, we'll wait while you shoot a picture!
All set? OK, time to play the numbers (sorry, no scratch games!)
The coordinates for Stage 5 are:
N41°31.GGG
W72° 48.HHH
To find GGG, take the last 3 digits of the year JOHN died and subtract 605.
To find HHH, add up the years, months, and days of John's age when he died. (Example: if it was 32 years, 10 months, and 6 days, add 32 + 10 +6.) Then add 831.
Got the answer? Load up that GPS and away we go!
Stage 5.... We know what you're thinking-- no, there's nothing wrong with your GPS, and you got the numbers right, so don't panic! I just happened to pass this on the way to the next Zinkie and liked it, so we decided to put it in. Well done, isn't it? It's the burial plot of a prominent family in this city, and a very peaceful place, we thought. Take a closer look at it, 'cuz it's gonna help you find your way to the next stop!
The coordinates for Stage 6 are:
N41°31.III
W72°48.JJJ
For III, count the number of columns on this monument and subtract that number from 190.
For JJJ, count the number of letters above the columns and add that number to 854.
Now that wasn't so hard, was it? Take those figures, lock 'em in, and then... onward!
Stage 6.... This is one of the most popular Zinkie styles, and demonstrates the gently sloping pyramid shape that makes them easy to identify. Ready to do some advanced calculus?
We didn't think so. OK then, how about some simple arithmetic? Here goes:
The coordinates for Stage 7 are:
N41°31.KKK
W72°48.LLL
To figure KKK, take MARGARET'S age and subtract it from the last two digits of the year that she died. Then add 115.
For LLL, find the year that NELLIE died and add 4. The last three digits of your answer are LLL.
Simple enough, right? Follow those numbers to Stage 7!
Stage 7....This one's almost a carbon copy (well, zinc in this case!) of a very common stone monument seen in many Connecticut cemeteries. But it also looks like someone's been fooling around with paint again... what a shame! Anyway, back to business:
The coordinates for Stage 8 are:
N41°31.MMM
W72°48.NNN
To get MMM: THOMAS was a Civil War veteran. Find the number of the battalion in which he served (f'rinstance, if it was the 29th CT Infantry, your number would be 29) and add 139.
For NNN, take the last three digits of the year in which ADA died, and add 2.
Got it? Excellent... let's head to Stage 8!
Stage 8.... Here's another example of the Monumental Bronze Co.'s expertise-- check out the detail on that urn at the top. BTW, although these monuments were sold as "white bronze", there's no such thing as white bronze; that was just an advertising term. All were made of pure zinc, which is a natural element found in the earth, like iron or lead. True bronze is an alloy, a man-made mixture of tin and copper which was first produced more than 5000 years ago-- there are numerous mentions of bronze in the Bible. Alright, class... history lesson's over; time for math!
The coordinates for Stage 9 are:
N41°31.OOO
W72°48.PPP
Find OOO by adding up HATTIE'S age at the time of her death (years + months + days), then adding 72 to that.
Find PPP by looking for a WREATH. Next, take the number of letters in the FAMILY NAME molded into the base of the Zinkie down below the wreath and subtracting it from 923.
All set? One more to go before we hit the road again... follow that arrow!
Stage 9....Here's the tallest and most ornate Zinkie in this cemetery. Again, check out the detail in the statue and the faces of the cherubs on all four sides. Sadly, this one's showing some damage. While zinc is almost totally weatherproof, like many hard metals it's also brittle. The base on which this one stands has settled over the years, causing the monument to lean towards the front. That puts a lot of undue strain on it because of its own weight, which can cause the monument to buckle, as this one seems to be doing. Over time that can become a crack called a stress fracture, which is usually difficult to repair.
Not that we want to "stress" you, but it's time for some more arithmetic...
The coordinates for Stage 10 are:
N41°34.QQQ
W72°52.RRR
For QQQ, take the middle two digits of the year in which MARY was born and subtract it from 678.
For RRR, take the last two digits of the year in which Mary died and add 256.
Done? OK... check those figures one more time, lock 'em in, and let's go for a drive in the country and track down some more 'heavy metal'!
Stage 10....By now, you oughta be able to spot a Zinkie easily, but as Han Solo said to Luke Skywalker in the first "Star Wars" movie, "...don't get cocky!" There's still a lot of things that can fool ya!
The coordinates for Stage 11 are:
N41°34.SSS
W72°52.TTT
For SSS: Find the year that LUCY died (all four digits) and subtract it from 2495.
For TTT: Find the year that JOHN was born and subtract it from the year that SARAH died. Then add 282.
Got it? Excellent... now take a stroll!
Stage 11.... Once again, an example of the "Law of Diminishing Returns"! The Monumental Bronze catalog carried dozens of sizes and styles (they didn't have any sales offices or showrooms; all sales were done through the catalog or by taking a trip to see actual monuments at a local cemetery). Back to the hunt...
The coordinates for Stage 12 are:
N41°34.UUU
W72°52.VVV
To get UUU: Add 581 to the number of letters in LYMAN'S last name.
To get VVV: Find Lyman's age at the time he died (years only, not months or days) and subtract it from 346.
Figured it out? Great! Enter 'em and follow that pointy little arrow-looking thing!
Stage 12.... Hmmm... deja vu, maybe? Something does look familiar, come to think of it! But still, don't make any hasty decisions; check things out first! You'll need to, because we're getting ready to head over to our next cemetery!
The coordinates for Stage 13 are:
N41°35.WWW
W72°52.XXX
To find WWW: Add BIRDSEY'S age to MARTHA'S age, then add 178. (Uh, no disrespect intended, but what kind of a name is 'Birdsey'?)
To find XXX: Take the year that ELLEN F. died and subtract her age from it. Then subtract that figure from 2140. Sure you got it right? OK-- key it into the GPS and then we're gonna make like The Wiz and "ease on down the road"!
Stage 13.... Just a quick stop before we move north and zero in on the final! As you can see, some cemeteries had many Zinkies, others, like this one, had few, if any. There were a number of cemeteries that didn't allow metal grave markers at all. The common reason given was that the people in charge of those cemeteries didn't think the zinc monuments would last very long. As we've seen, time has proven just the opposite! Most Zinkies are still in excellent condition after 100 years or more, holding up better than their stone counterparts in many cases. Hope you've held up well thus far... the next stop will be the Zinkie "Where It All Began"! Let's dig up some info:
The coordinates for Stage 14 are:
N41°37.YYY
W72°52.ZZZ
Tell you what... once again, we'll blow off the math on this one and give you a couple of multiple choice questions instead!
To get YYY: Look for a three-letter abbreviation on the monument. It stands for a fraternal organization, to which this gentleman belonged.
If it's A.O.H. (Ancient Order of Hibernians), then YYY = 114.
If it's F.O.E. (Fraternal Order of Eagles), then YYY = 124.
If it's L.O.M. (Loyal Order of Moose), then YYY = 134.
To get ZZZ: This monument was erected by someone related to this gentleman... who was it???
If it was his SISTER, then ZZZ = 533.
If it was his DAUGHTER,then ZZZ = 335.
If it was his WIFE, then ZZZ = 353.
Now that wasn't so bad, was it? Time to head out again... one more cemetery, the last Zinkie, and the final stage awaits!
Stage 14.... And this is the one ..."Where It All Began"! Maybe it was "humble beginnings", but I guess I was hooked when I knocked on this "stone" at Mr. Chesson's suggestion and realized it wasn't stone at all! By now, you should be an experienced Zinkie spotter, and know the unique designs and styling that set these zinc monuments apart from all the rest. And don't forget that they're truly a piece of CT history, since they were made ONLY in Bridgeport, Connecticut! But now, a word of warning: don't be surprised if you're unable to pass by an older cemetery without stopping to see if there are any Zinkies in it... they're known to be habit-forming! Well, enough rambling; the final stage is within reach! Drum roll, please......
The coordinates for the final are:
N41°37.###
W72°52.$$$
To find ###: Take the number of letters in GEORGE'S last name, multiply it by 20 and then add 25.
To find $$$: Subtract the year ISABELLA was born from the year that JOSEPH died. Then add 162.
Got it? DY-NO-MITE! Now, go grab that smiley!
You're looking for a small camo'd lock & lock with a log book and the usual tradeables.
NOTE: While you might have to search around a bit, you don't have to move or disturb anything at the final in order to grab the container! (it's really a pretty typical hide.) Just remember to replace it exactly as you found it, since curious muggles abound.
CONGRATS TO KDUBS AND RON131 -- FTF!
24 Jul 2012
We hope you enjoyed "Monu-Metal III". Now you know how it all began! Any comments or suggestions you may have are always welcome. Send us an e-mail through this cache page (just click on "Messages" in the top right corner)... we'd love to hear from you!
And if you like this one, check out--
"MONU-METAL IV: Southern Sojourn"!
Check it out!
