Cornelius' Corner Traditional Cache
sirdatary: Time for something new in this space. Thanks for all the finds!
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At the corner of Santa Clara St and Market St, in front of an office building, there is a very plain plaque that reads "Cornelius' Corner". I had always wondered what this plaque was all about, and figured that hundreds of people walking past wondered that same thing.
Cornelius Van Der Vies was a well-known homeless man who lived in Downtown San Jose. He resided in his van at night. By day, could be found sitting at Santa Clara and Market with his dog, Boo-Boo. He was regarded as extremely friendly, conversational, and even "mildly flirtatious." He and his dog were often seen wearing American flags as they sat at their normal spot. He became a fixture for the workers in the Entrepreneur Center Building, in front of which he sat daily.
Not much is known about Cornelius' history. He moved to the U.S. from Holland at the age of 7. He enjoyed living in the San Jose area, and despised shelters. He kept himself relatively well groomed, showering every five days, and trimming his beard on a regular basis.
Mr. Van Der Vies had a brief moment of fame during Christmas of 2005. His 1986 Volkswagan Van, which served double-duty has his residence, broke down. A local attorney brought attention to Cornelius' plight, and the community was able to raise more than double the $2,600 that he needed to fix his van.
On the morning of Monday, April 30, 2007, Mr. Van Der Vies was involved in an altercation with another homeless man. The man began throwing rocks at Boo-Boo and a fight ensued as Cornelius tried to defend his dog. The man was seen repeatedly kicking and hitting Mr. Van Der Vies. Cornelius Van Der Vies died as a result of this attack.
This news sent shock waves through the small community of professionals working nearby who greeted him on a regular basis. In his memory, they arranged for a simple plaque to be displayed in his honor near where he normally sat.
Boo-Boo survived the attack and was taken into custody by animal control. While his future was initially uncertain due to a history of bites, Boo-Boo was eventually adopted by a local couple. As of this writing, he remains alive and well at the age of 13.
An online memory book established by the San Jose Mercury News remains active today, still receiving comments even 6 years after his death.
Near Cornelius' Corner is a log-only cache. No room for trackables - and be sure to bring a pen.
The cache is NOT located near the building - so please stay away from the reflective glass windows and stay out of the planters. Enjoy!
Congratulations to NotDrewCurtis on the FTF!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Uvqqra ng tebhaq yriry
Treasures
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