Vaccines Cured Smallpox Traditional Cache
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Size: 
(regular)
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VACCINES CURED SMALLPOX GEOCACHE
In 1853, prof. D. D. Moss began producing smallpox vaccine at this location, along with a dairy farm. Eventually Moss and neighbor Waters donated their land to the Mo. Dept. of Conservation, which traded the land to the City Parks Department. This Geocache is an ammo box. Mostly accessed via a paved trail, but some bushwacking will be needed to find the cache.
VACCINES CURED SMALLPOX GEOCACHE
a.k.a Hillcrest Dairy
In 1853, professor Daniel Doresy Moss acquired this property which became known as "Hill Crest Farm". Mr. Moss was an associate professor of chemistry at the Unversity of Missouri and he began the business of producing smallpox vaccine at this location. This business continued for several years until competition in the vaccine business made it more profitable to raise cows on the farm. Dairying became the chief income operation of Hill Crest Farm, and this business, under several ownerships but using the same name, "Hillcrest Dairy", was the primary use of the property.
Both Mr. C.B. Moss and Mr. H.J. Waters donated their respective parts of the Hillcrest farm to the Missouri Conservation Department in 1972. Each retained life estate for himself, and in the case of Mr. Waters, for his wife also. Both gentlemen preceded Mrs. Waters in death, and in 1975 the Department of Conservation took possession of the Moss twenty acre tract which contained the house and converted apartments.
The house was remodeled to serve as office space for department personnel based in Columbia, and it served in this capacity until January, 1983. Department of Conservation personnel moved from the Moss house at that time and it was to be sold for material salvage in preparation for the construction of the Columbia District Headquarters. Shortly after it was empty, an arsonist set the structure afire in the early morning hours and it was completely incinerated.
The Department of Conservation took possession of the entire area after Mrs. Waters' death in 1985. In 2009 the Department entered into an agreement with the City of Columbia to manage part of this area as a city park. The Department of Conservation offices and shop were remodeled to accommodate City park activities and other park developments are ongoing.
This Geocache is an ammo box, labeled on the outside with waterproof labels, with a copy of this story included along with the logbook. There is a paved trail from the Grindstone Nature area parking lot taking you most of the way, and a newly developed unpaved trail takes you a little closer. Some bushwacking will be required to find the cache but it is not in a difficult area to access. Cache was vandalized in late 2024 and the box was stolen (there were a few DNF's) but it has now been replaced.
Permission from the City of Columbia Parks Department was obtained before placing this cache.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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Treasures
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