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Historic Hamilton: Harmony Hall Multi-Cache

Hidden : 3/13/2017
Difficulty:
2.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

A two stage multi that will require you to collect some information at stage 1 in order to determine the coordinates for the final. The cache container is a bison tube with parking available on a nearby side street. At the posted coords you will find Harmony Hall. You also find a will lamp post (on the edge of the park) with a metal tag containing 5 alphanumeric digits. Both are required to determine the final


NORTH coordinates: Count the number of window shutters on the SOUTH (front) and WEST (garage) sides of the home that are facing the street. These are the only two sides of the home that are easily and completely visible from the road. Ignore the other two sides of the house. (There is one window that is covered with shutters facing the backyard. Ignore it).

Each window has 2 shutters that are affixed to the house beside the window. They are very easy to count. You will get a two digit number for each side. Put them together to get a 4 digit number (South first, then West). Example: if your answer was South 52 and West 31, your 4 digit number is 5231. Checksum for your 4 digit number is 10.

Divide your answer by 1000 and add to 43 11.206

WEST coordinates: Convert any letters on the metal tag to numbers (where a=1, b=2 etc). You will now have a 5 digit number with a checksum of 25. Divide that number by 1000 and add it to 079 24.141

HISTORY OF HARMONY HALL

Harmony Hall is the name of a historic home that you can see at the posted coordinates - 325 Lima Court. It is also the name of a nearby residential street, and the name that has been given to the surrounding subdivision.

In 2003 the City of Hamilton designated Harmony Hall as a structure of historical significance under the Ontario Heritage Act. On the map below it can be found in the court right above the 'H' in Harmony Hall.

The house named 'Harmony Hall' has existed for over 200 years, and is part of Ancaster's historical fabric. Israel Dawdy (1769-1851), a landholder and military officer, built Harmony Hall between 1816 and 1819, living there with his wife Anna until his death in 1851. Israel Dawdy presumably served in the War of 1812. He is listed as a Captain in the 1st Regiment of the Gore Militia in 1821. Ann Dawdy died in 1859 and is buried at nearby Garner Cemetery. In 1831 The Dawdy's sold part of their land to the Zion Methodist Church for the construction of Garner's Church at the corner of the Southcote and Garner. That church no longer exists, but its cemetery is now maintained by the city of Hamilton.

When Dawdy died in 1851 the farm was bequeathed to his brother Jeremiah’s two sons, James and Caleb. In 1864, Dawdy’s estate sold Harmony Hall to Samuel Nash Olmstead, a member of Ancaster Township Council from 1872-1876, Deputy Reeve in 1878 and Reeve in 1879. Olmstead died in 1881 and the farm was sold to John Hostein.

Hostein lived at Harmony Hall until his death in 1902. His son Frederick took over the farm in 1902 and lived there with his wife and nine children. He was noteworthy as one of only seven automobile owners in Ancaster by 1911. Frederick Hostein lived at Harmony Hall until his death in 1936. One of Hostein’s sons, also named Frederick, was living at Harmony Hall with his wife Alma in 1969. Also by 1969, the farmland of Israels] Dawdy's original 200 acres was incorporated into the Pinecrest Survey

THE NAME

It is not clear when Harmony Hall got its name. One story suggests that Dawdy named the house after Harmony, New Jersey, the home of a builder-friend. The other is that the house was named Harmony Hall during the mid-nineteenth century, in recognition of the Victorians’ value of faith, personal respect and responsibility, as well as respect for nature, i.e. “in harmony with nature”.

ARCHITECHTURAL VALUE

Harmony Hall is of architectural value as a surviving example of pre-Confederation, rural, brick construction. It is noteworthy for its architectural evolution; originally having been designed in the Georgian style and subsequently incorporating Gothic Revival influences during the mid to late nineteenth century. It is estimated that the rear addition and frame garage were constructed between 1882-1902.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Unatvat.

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)