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Paynes Praire History: Ranchero de la Chua Multi-Cache

This cache has been archived.

Obilon: That works for me. Having adopted it oh, the owner mentioned no problems and I was not aware of it. Since we are going to refresh the whole park soon anyway, no problem letting this one go.

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Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
2.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Black Test Tube First stage

Ranchero de la Chua The largest and best known of the Spanish cattle ranches in Florida in 1600's was located in the area now known as Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. Its' headquarters were located on the north side of the basin, near an area dotted with sinkholes. The Timucuan Indians that inhabited the area used the word “Chua” to describe the sinkholes. Thus the ranch became known as “Ranchero de la Chua” the ranch of the sinkholes. The cattle, hogs, and horses brought over by the Spanish thrived on the lush prairie grasses. The citrus trees that were introduced by the Spanish did well on the fertile upland soils surrounding the prairie. The owner was Mendez Marquez, a relative of Pedro Menendez de Aviles, the founder of St. Augustine. According to the old tax rolls, it was the most prosperous of all the ranches in Spanish Florida. In existence from 1646 to 1705, it was the principal supplier of beef to St. Augustine. cow

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