This cache is located near the former grade of the Chicago & Michigan Lake Shore Railroad, in the former village of Olive Center. The cache is not at the posted location. To locate the final, solve the puzzle below. The cache is hidden on rural road right-of-way.
C&MLS depot at Olive Center. Courtesy, Olive Township Historical Society
The village of Olive Center began in the Mid 1800's as one of the first settlements in the area. A log schoolhouse was constructed there in 1850. When the railroad came in 1871, the village was kick started as a lumber town. At it's peak the village had a population of 85, a post office, railroad station, two general stores, two sawmills, two blacksmiths, a doctors office, and a school. After the lumber boom ended, the village last for a short time as a farming area. The post office closed it's doors on Nov. 30 1906.
Olive Center station site, May 2014.
The Chicago & Michigan Lake Shore Railroad was chartered in 1869 and built north from New Buffalo to St. Joseph, opening on February 1st, 1870. The line was extended to Grand Junction in northern Van Buren County on February 28th, 1871, and through Waverly (outside Holland) to Nunica by June 30th, 1871. At Nunica, the line connected with the track that had been built in 1870 from Muskegon to Nunica. The C&MLS was in competition with the Michigan Lake Shore Railroad, already operating a line between Allegan, through Holland to Muskegon by 1870. In 1876 the C&MLS went into receivership and reorganized as the Chicago & West Michigan Railroad. In 1881 the C&WM , along with three other lines, including the Grand Haven Railroad(formerly the Michigan Lake Shore) reorganized as the Chicago & West Michigan Railway. This left the C&WM Ry with two lines between Holland and Muskegon, The C&MLS line was superfluous and Waverly to Fruitport was abandoned by the end of 1881. The abandonment was very secretive, and spawned a few law suits from lumber companies that the line had served. On a Sunday in 1881, a C&MLS locomotive ran from Fruitport to Waverly, picking up tracks and ties. This left many small towns along the line in economical shock, and left them to be abandoned.
To locate the cache, solve this simple puzzle based on information in the cache description.
N 42°54.ABC W 086°05.DEF
- A = Third digit in the year the C&MLS abandoned it's line from Waverly to Fruitport
- B = Last digit in the population of Olive Center while at it's peak
- C = Number of letters in the first word of the railroad that ran through Olive Center
- D = Number of Sawmills PLUS Number of General Stores at Olive Center
- E = Second digit in the day that the C&MLS extended it's line to Grand Junction
- F = Last digit in the year the Olive Center Post Office closed MINUS 2
Sources:
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