GC480QF Progress On The Montour Trail III (Traditional Cache) in Pennsylvania, United States created by jeffshly

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GC480QF ▼

A cache by jeffshly Message this owner

Hidden : 3/19/2013

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

This cache serves as an illustration of how The Montour Trail rails-to-trails project can make a location a safer and more useful place for the entire community.

The coordinates for this cache will bring you near a new bridge on The Montour Trail near Mile Marker 27.3. This bridge was one of two bridges - the other being above Morganza Road and located 0.36 miles west of this one - opened to Montour Trail traffic on July 28, 2012. This new bridge spans 110 feet over Georgetown Road in the part of Cecil Township known as Hendersonville and replaces the original Montour Railroad bridge, built in 1913.

The two bridges were constructed as a single project with a total cost of about $1.9 million. Funding came from the National Transportation Enhancement Program, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Allegheny Trail Alliance, the Washington County Local Share Account, the Washington County Tourist Promotion Agency, the Trail Volunteer Fund of the Pittsburgh Foundation, the Montour Trail Council, and the Cecil Friends of the Montour Trail. Design work was done from late-2006 through late-2009 and private donations and Montour’s Volunteer Construction crews completed the project.

Georgetown Road Crossing Before Bridge Installation

This stretch of the Montour RR served the long-abandoned Henderson Mine #1, located west of this cache. For more information on Hendersonville and the mine, please review this cache listing

Original Georgetown Bridge (1979)

After the mine was closed in the 1950's, this portion of the railroad remained active, as illustrated by the picture above, taken in 1979. However, the original bridge was severely damaged in late-2000 after an overheight boom truck, making the bridge hazardous to traffic above or below. Work began soonafter, in early-2001, to daylight the bridge and grade the roadside.

The following websites were used for reference and photographs. Feel free to learn more about the history of this bridge and its replacement project visiting:

- The Montour Historical Society's Report
- The Montour Trail Website

Now, onto the cache. As you enter from the recommended parking coordinates, continue westward on the Montour Trail past the Georgetown Bridge. You're looking for a bison tube hidden in typical manner. Nothing difficult, nothing sneaky, nothing evil. It's about 15 feet off the north side of the trail. Good luck and Happy Caching!