GC4721K Gentlemen, Start Your Engines! (Traditional Cache) in Pennsylvania, United States created by classixiii

This cache has been archived.

Keystone: As the owner has not responded to my prior note, I am archiving this cache page. Please note, cache pages that are archived by a Reviewer due to maintenance issues cannot be unarchived.

Regards,
Keystone
Geocaching.com Community Volunteer Reviewer

GC4721K ▼

A cache by classixiii Message this owner

Hidden : 3/3/2013

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

KUDOS TO THC73 ON YET ANOTHER FTF!!!

This is a cammoed pill bottle about the size of a 35mm can.

There is plenty of room to pull over and stop your vehicle alongside GZ. There is a no parking sign there, but is pulling over to grab a cache really parking?
With good geosenses this shouldn't be too hard find.

I would have loved to place this cache on the actual site of the Brunot's Island Race Track, but since this island is harder to get on than it was to get off of Alcatraz you'll have to settle for a view from across the river.
You will be looking at the end of the island where the race track was in operation between 1903 and 1915.

The island was purchased for $2,800.00 in 1779 by Frenchman Felix Brunot. He served as a surgeon in the American Revolution, having come to this country with his foster brother the Marquis de Lafayette.
Brunot become a prominent citizen and noted herbalist. In 1803 Meriwether Lewis, of Lewis and Clark fame, made the island, and a visit to Brunot, his first stop on the way to St. Louis, where he would pick up William Clark and begin their famous expedition. In 1811, a flood destroyed Brunot's settlement and he eventually sold the island in 1819. The island was used for farming for a number of years. The only access to this island was via Ferry from the Woods Run side of the river. There was a small subdivision consisting of a handful of streets and homes, when the original Ohio Connecting Railroad Bridge was first constructed in 1890. In 1894 the island was purchased by George Westinghouse. and within 10 years, he had a small power plant operating on the island.

In 1902, the Pittsburgh and Allegheny Driving Club constructed a mile-long dirt oval racetrack on the island. Wealthy captains of industry raced horses there. Later, it hosted races between automobiles, airplanes and, on one occasion, ostriches. Regular racing was discontinued in 1907 as the motorcars were ruining the track surface. Special events were held up until 1915. These events hosted as many as 15,000 spectators all delivered to the island by the Steel Queen ferry from near the State Penitentiary. One such event featured famed auto racer Barney Oldfield on the track versus DeLloyd Thompson, in the air, in a demonstration of speed and acrobatics. The article from the May 30, 1915 Pittsburgh Press, states that the event was so big, Barney Oldfiled with drew from the Indianapolis 500 so he wouldn't have to break his contract on the island. You can read it here.

The demand for power in this rapidly growing industrial area caused the power plant to expand until in the late 1910's the track was displaced by new high voltage equipment.

In 1930 Duquesne Light Co. opened the $10MM James Reed Power Station, and its activities including coal storage took over the entire island. The plant was mothballed in the 1970's with the downturn in local industry and growing regulations for pollution control. in 1972 a small oil fired peaking station was constructed then later a modern natural gas fired combined cycle system all currently owned and operated by NRG.

Footnote: The only way on and off the island is still by ferry. The launch ramp can be seen from the bike trail, next to SCI Pittsburgh behind the Duquesne Light facility on the Woods Run side of the Ohio.