The Dorchester Academy was founded in 1869 by the American Missionary Association (now the United Church of Christ) as a school for freed slaves. By 1917, the fully accredited high school had an enrollment of 300 students. Although the academic program ended in the 1940’s when a consolidated school for black youth was built in nearby Riceboro, the pioneering spirit did not. In the 1940s, the Dorchester Cooperative Center was established and the Dorchester Academy would become an institute for community development, political and social change.
The Liberty County Citizen’s Council founded in 1946, helped register and organize African-American voters. Nearly 20 years later, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other key figures in the civil rights movement including Dr. Ralph Abernathy, Andrew Young, Dr. Fred Shuttlesworth, prepared for “Project C” which would be later memorialized as the infamous Birmingham march, one of the first major victories in the Civil Rights movement.
Today, the Dorchester Academy is a National Landmark and serves as an African-American history museum and community center and is in the process of developing a community educational and research center. Additionally, plans are in place to renovate the beautiful Greek Revival style boys’ dormitory, one of the only original Dorchester Academy buildings that remain. .
The Cache
A great cache for the CREATIVE CACHER/FUN in all of us. While all of us learned our colors in school and we use our eyes to see while caching, we will need both of these tools for this cache. LEARNING is fun and helps the cacher gain a smile after we log a find. We all love the get multiple smilies like this trail will provide. LOOK all around you as you cache LIBERTY COUNTY for the natural beauty and historical lessons that can be learned as an individual through various means. PLEASE smile as you enjoy your adventure!!
Please count the number of smiley faces that you see for these colors in this order to set the number code on the lock.
How many GREEN smileys do you see?
How many ORANGE smileys do you see?
How many BLUE smileys do you see?
You will need to return“everything” just like you found it. It is so important you take nothing but a smile from this one of a kind cache. Please follow the instructions carefully and we can keep this cache operating for everyone to enjoy.
Thank you.
* Please be respectful of this property. This cache is located outside of the establishment. Please pull off of the main road into the parking lot to retrieve this cache. Once you have located the cache, PLEASE return the stamp and ink pad back in the cache. As with any other cache please hide back as found. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE CACHE FROM LOCATION
Geocache placed with permission.