There is no cache container at the listed coordinates but a river instead. This is the Red River which goes by many names but is most commonly known as the Red River of the South. It's tributaries start as far away as New Mexico and flow into Louisiana and eventually into the Mighty Mississippi River. (wikipedia)
Rapides Parish was created in March of 1807 and is one of the 19 original parishes created by dividing the Territory of New Orleans. This Parish was named for the rapids at this location. During the French rule of this territory, the area we now know as Pineville was named Post of Rapide. Rapide is the French word for rapid and is already the plural of the word but when the American Government to over this land in 1803, they added the "s" and it has remained ever since. This area of the river was always low and proved to be a hard place to cross to come up river.(usgwarchives. net)
The water depth used to fluctuate in this area due to the seasons and enviromental conditions before the Red River Lock and Dam #4 was built in Colfax (~25 miles upriver). Due to the water control of Lock and dam #4, levees were built to prevent the river from overflowing.
Before the controlled water level we see today came about, in March of 1864, the Union Army was coming up the Mississippi and Red River from New Orleans. The Confederates had already abandoned Alexandria and the surrounding areas and retreated to Natchitoches. The Union was traveling with one of the largest displays of armed men in the southwest with over 30,000 troops by land and 60 ships by river. The forces were stopped due to the low water in the rapids and after sinking the medical ship and an armed steamer, the Union decided to stop and wait for the waters to rise to continue North to persue the Confederates.
The water did not rise as quickly as was hope for and Union decided to build a dam designed by one of their engineer's Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Bailey. The dam was simple and was constructed just above the lower rapids (where the marker is for this cache, see the map below). The Pineville dam consisted of three section of 760 feet long. This was a tree dam which made use of the large stands of pine, oak and elm trees available on the Pineville side of the river. From this side, this dam extended about two thids of the distance across the river. The second dam extending from the Alexandria side, consisted of wooden cribs filled with stone, iron, and brick debris collected from destroyed buildings. A central dam built in the gap between the first two, consisted of four sunken navy coal barges filled with bricks and iron rails. This central dam would be rammed by the lead gunboat or blown up to provide an opening allowing the fleet to be carried over the rapids by the released water. Go to location 4 to see where this is located - during low water years, the remains of the dam can be seen (last saw in 1989).
By early May, the water had risen over 5 feet to allow most of the trapped boats to cross the rapids. Still the larger boats and ironclads were trapped and another dam had to be built upriver (near the Railroad Bridge) for the remainder of the ships to be freed. (information at the Historic Site)
Questions:
List the GC code (GC61F6H)
1. Why/How did the Parish get it's name?
2A. What did the people of the area build to "control" the water in 1864 in this area? What local, natural materials were used?
2B. What did the people of the area build to "control" the water in the early 1900 in this area? What did they have to build along the river banks to prevent the overflow of the river in present day?
3. Do you think Bailey's Dam is still intact below the river's surface and why? (opinion)
4. Go to where you can see the water level on the bridge (do not go on the bridge for this stage) and tell me what the water height reading is.
5. (optional) Post a picture with your team.
Locations 1, 2, 3 are all you need to complete this cache. Location 4 is a shaded pavillion overlook looking over the part of the river where the lower dam was built. It is within the state park and the cost to enter is $4 a person. Hours:Wednesday to Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm.