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In Memoriam Series #5: Smokey the Bear Traditional Cache

Hidden : 7/28/2014
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

This is the fifth in my In Memoriam series, commemorating people and places that have been lost to Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.


You are looking for a very small nano-sized cache. Please put back where you found it.

Smokey the Bear lived in a cage here in Nelson Park for fifteen years. When he died, the community went through controversial discussions about whether to replace him. Although my children liked to visit Smokey, the size of his dwelling always made me very sad. Eventually, the city decided not to replace him. Instead, this lovely statue of Smokey surrounded by flowers, rocks, benches, and a waterfall were installed. It is a fitting tribute, and a relief to many that another such beautiful animal was not kept in such confined quarters.

From CM Life, 2003: "Until his death in November, 2002, Smokey the Bear was a symbol of the city, tucked into an enclosure at the Nelson Park Zoo. For nearly 15 years, he existed as a controversial icon, arousing discussion and pathos throughout the Mount Pleasant community. While Smokey’s accommodations were in line with state law, anyone who visited the animal will attest to the fact that it was a sad sight. Legal issues aside, Smokey’s dwelling was less than adequate for an animal of his size, and the same can be said for the conditions of the deer pen in the park. We oppose any action to replace the animal, especially putting a creature as large as a bear in an enclosure roughly the size of a college dorm room. Ideally, the purpose of a zoo is to preserve an animal in a re-creation of its natural habitat. The cage at Nelson Park qualifies, assuming that wild bears roam freely in forests of concrete and steel. Smokey also was accorded luxury items like a bowling ball and a tire swing, favorite playthings of bears the world over. While city officials are hearing community members’ views on a possible replacement for the animal, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has thrown its hat into the ring, lobbying against a successor. Michigan recently updated laws regarding large carnivores in captivity, but Mount Pleasant is exempt because of a loophole, which would make things easier for those who support replacing the bear."

 

Congrats to Momojojo on their 1000th find!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Fvg qbja. Ybbx qbja.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)