Lewis Chapel Cemetery Multi-Cache

To perform this cache hunt, one must traverse the length and breadth of the Lewis Chapel Cemetery in search of data used to construct three sets of coordinates that lead to objects of interest related to the cache.

To find the mystery coordinate pairs, one may want to brush up on differences between coordinates expressed in Degrees and Minutes (MinDec) format versus those constructed using the Degrees, Minutes, Seconds (DMS) format. This plot of land is located such that years around 1900, as found on the markers in the cemetery, convert either a latitude or a longitude coordinate in the straight-forward manner described below.

Latitude: Years convert to meaningful latitude coordinates in the MinDec format if one pre-pends N 32° 3 to the year and then places a decimal between the century digits. I.E. The year 1895 converts to N 32° 31.895' and is useful for locating points on cemetery grounds.

Longitude: Years convert to longitude coordinates in DMS format if one pre-pends W 094° 44 to the year and then places a decimal between the hundred and ten digits. I.E. The year 1905 converts to W 094° 44' 19.05" and is useful for locating points within the cemetery.

Usually one uses either MinDec or DMS format, but for this cache hunt, all latitudes are initially constructed in MinDec format, and all longitudes are initially written in DMS format. The geocacher then converts one of the two so as to create a uniform coordinate set in a single format that works the best for entry into their GPSr of choice. It might sound complicated, but it really is not.

DMS coordinates easily convert to MinDec form. For example, DMS W 094° 44' 19.05" converts to MinDec W 094° 44.3175'. Note the minutes and whole degrees are identical; the seconds convert with a division by sixty (19.05 / 60 = .3175). An approximation without a calculator is possible: For example, 19 is pretty close to 20, and 20 is 1/3 of 60. 1/3 in decimal is .3333. For purposes of finding targets in this multi-cache, W 094° 44.3175" and W 094° 44.3333" are "close enough" to get the job done.

MinDec similarly converts to DMS but multiplication is used instead of division. For example, MinDec W 094° 44.3175' converts to MinDec W 094° 44' 19.05". Note the minutes and whole degrees are identical, and the seconds are calculated by multiplying the decimal part of the minutes by sixty (.3175 * 60 = 19.05). Approximation without a calculator is possible: For example, .3175 is pretty close to .3333 (which is 1/3). 1/3 of sixty is 20. For purposes of finding targets in this multi-cache, W 094° 44' 19.05" and W 094° 44' 20" are "close enough" to get the job done.

Warning: Parking at the two cemetery entrances is not recommended for safety reasons. Long vehicles may not fit in the small space between the roadway and the gates, and Hollybrook Drive is often very busy. The safest parking area is the Hope Fellowship church parking lot because one does not have to cross Hollybrook Drive. The parking area closest to the pedestrian entrance belongs to St. Mary's Catholic Church, but the four lanes of Hollybrook Drive separate the parking lot from the cemetery's pedestrian entrance.

Note: Though the cache is technically available 24/7, the cache owner requests that attempts on the final stage are made only during daylight hours for two reasons:

• Stealth: Search lights are likely to generate concern on the part of residents of neighboring properties.
• The cache container's location can only be fully appreciated by day, and was specifically selected to be viewed in its entirety.

Tip: If rain has fallen recently, areas within the cemetery are likely to leave red clay on one's shoes. A cachemobile may not appreciate the resulting deposits on its interior.

Locate each stage listed:

1. N 32° 31.896 W 094° 44.299
   Find Roseana's grave marker, and use the year of her birth to obtain the missing portion of stage 3's latitude coordinate.
2. N 32° 31.917 W 094° 44.306
   Upon locating Della's aged and broken marker, note the year of her birth. Della was born a century after a notable historical event, so subtract 100 years from her birth year and use the result to complete the stage 3 longitude coordinate.
3. N 32° 3 ___ . ___ ___ ___ ' W 094° 44' ___ ___ . ___ ___ "
   Make a note of the inscription carved upon a curious marker that does not identify an actual burial site. Though the word may seem related to the historical event mentioned in the stage 2 description, the story of the marker is very recent - as one might deduce from the relative freshness of the inscription. (A fellow geocacher related the story upon learning that a cache was going into the cemetery.)
4. N 32° 31.895 W 094° 44.312
   Hunt for a site that bears the name Durie Lee Smith, then utilize the birth year on the marker to complete the latitudinal coordinate of the tool stage. The pair of markers at this location is somewhat interesting in that Durie was born two years after her husband, and died two years after he passed on - they lived to the same age. If they had a sense of humor, perhaps they found a way to joke about her being a 20th century gal while he was one of those old-school 19th century dudes.
5. N 32° 31.925 W 094° 44.306
   Next, find a broken marker that bears an engraving of a hand that used to point skyward (it now points toward a nearby church). Complete the longitude coordinate of the tool stage by adding the same number of centuries to the interred's birth year as there are letters engraved upon the stage 3 mystery marker. Mr. Stanley's birth year is the earliest of all the ones that are still visible on stones found in this cemetery.
6. N 32° 3 ___ . ___ ___ ___ ' W 094° 44' ___ ___ . ___ ___ "
   These coordinates mark the location of a tool that is needed to retrieve the cache container from its hiding place.
7. N 32° 31.920 W 094° 44.309
   Locate Aaron Sr's marker and use his birth year to obtain the missing latitudinal digits for the final stage. An interesting nickname is recorded on his stone.
8. N 32° 31.919 W 094° 44.328
   The birth year recorded on Kenzy's marker provides the missing digits needed to complete the longitude coordinate of the final stage. The military plaque is a reminder of those that served and those that still do.
9. N 32° 3 ___ . ___ ___ ___ ' W 094° 44' ___ ___ . ___ ___ "
   This is not an ordinary, run-of-the-mill hiding place. Enjoy!

This site is not considered wheelchair accessible for a variety of reasons:

• There is barely enough room to park a vehicle at the entrances to the cemetery, and both entrances are on an incline.
• Terrain to/from nearby parking lots is unsuitable for wheelchairs, and the neighboring street is often very busy.
• There are no marked paths or roads within the cemetery grounds.

My children enjoyed the process of making and hiding this cache. They feel it probably will be interesting for kids despite the reasons I didn't rate it as kid-friendly:

• It is necessary to read names and dates from grave markers to obtain information required to proceed from stage to stage.
• It is doubtful that a young child could be expected to retrieve the cache container.
• Construction of stage coordinates is non-trivial.

The cache container holds only a log, so please bring your own writing implement.