CascAda History #1 - Tassel Traditional Cache

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Hidden : 7/4/2013
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:


CascAda History #1 - Tassell
The Cascade & Ada Township History Series



The Estate you see before you used to be the home of Leslie E. Tassell. Tassell was the founder of the auto parts maker Lescoa, and was a noted philanthropist. He contributed to the construction of engineering and health professions buildings at Grand Valley State University and was a key contributor to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. He also created Leslie Tassell park in Cascade.

Leslie Tassell was born February 2, 1908, in London, England. At the age of 6, his family moved to Canada. As a young man, he moved to Grand Rapids and soon owned a tool and dye company. Mr. Tassell loved animals, and had zebras, camels, donkeys, and his favorite peafowl(peacock) until the day he died - March 19, 2004, at the age of 96.

When Mr. Tassell lived at the estate, it occupied 95 acres, with 15 acres surrounding the home as park like atmosphere, with a pond, swans, rose garden and formal lawns. It was breathtaking, entering the gated driveway. At first you saw nothing but trees and lawn, then the drive curves around a hill and you finally saw the magnificent house, pond and grounds.

Tassell had Zebras at his estate, which were raised there and had been tamed, allowing them to pull a carriage. People in the neighborhood discovered the approximate time when the zebras would be fed or let out of their pens. At these times cars filled with people would line the fence to watch the spectacle unfold.


Mr. Tassell had been a hunter since the late 1950's, and was well known as a "Big Game Hunter". He had been on at least 12 African safari's also to India, Colorado and Alaska. His trophy room was an extensive reference source of every type of animal. Many of his trips he wrote articles that were published in Outdoor Life and Tales of the Ultimate Sportsman. He is also included in the 1971 published book "A Treasury of African Hunting" edited by Peter Barrett.

Following Tassell's death, his estate was split into two with 14 acres and the house going to his long-time companion, Krystyna Cotter, and the remaining 80 adjacent acres going to his corporation L.E.T. Inc., a land development company. There was some consideration for putting a new housing development on the 80 acres of land, but eventually it was sold in late 2008 to Cascade Township for $2.1 million. The Township put a park, Burton Park, there which opened in 2009.

Following the lands designation as a park, a property fued between the owner of the estate (Cotter) and the owner of the park (Cascade Township) ensued over use of the gate & driveway. Cotter maintained it was a private driveway, and allowing it to be used for park access would lower the value of her house and affect her privacy. The Township maintained that the land easement they purchased with the land itself let them use it as an access point to the park. For a period of time in 2009 the gate was locked by Cotter, but a judge eventually ruled the Township did have access, and the park was reopened.

Miss Cotter passed away in 2012 and much of the interior of the house was sold in an estate sale. The house itself is up for sale.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Cnvagrq cynfgvp pbagnvare ng gur onfr bs n cvar gerr

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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