SWS - Falmouth on the GR&I (PRR) II Mystery Cache

This daylight only cache is not at the posted coordinates which are at the location of the former depot. To find the final, solve the simple puzzle below based on information on the cache page. This cache replaces GC52PCK which has been muggled several times.

Cadillac and Lake City switcher no. 11 near Falmouth in 1967.

Falmouth

The village of Falmouth was an old lumbering settlement first known as Pen Hook. A post office was establised named Falmouth on December 18^th, 1871, with Eugene W. Watson as postmaster. The town missed becaming the Missaukee county seat by a single vote to Reeder (Lake City) in 1873. By 1877, the population was near 50 the town had a hotel, grocery and general store and a shingle mill. In 1879, John Koopman built a store and two years later, bought the village plat, including its sawmill, shingle mill and grist mill, all on the mill pond. By 1897, the population was up to 150 and several more businesses were present, plus a school and a Reformed Church. The railroad arrived in 1908.

Today, the town is a thriving farm community with a an active post office, elevator, a popular general store and meat market, and an always busy restaurant, churches and a bank branch.

Missaukee Branch, GR&I.

Railroad:

The Missaukee Branch of the GR&I was started in 1882 with a branch line to a lumber camp at Mitchell (Jennings) from the GR&I mainline at Missaukee Junction, north of Cadillac. In 1890, the line was extended from Round Lake Junction to Sands Junction (now an addition to Lake City). In 1894, a short branch was built north from Sandstown to the Lake City station, and the line was extended to Veneer and Herrick, south-east of Lake City. In 1906, the line was extended to Ardis Junction and to the lumber camp at Ardis. In 1908, the line finally reached Falmouth, as an extension of the Veneer branch to Herrick. The line reached Merritt in 1909 and in 1912 it reached its terminus, the lumber town of Michelson, just inside Roscommon County.

Lumber was the primary business of the branch until the timber was harvested. Business trended toward agriculture after that, with elevators in Merritt and Falmouth.

The GR&I was controlled by the Pennsylvania Railroad and was leased by the PRR in the 1918-1921 time frame, and equipment was gradually repainted. In 1953, the GR&I was formally merged into the PRR. With more road construction, the need for the rail line diminished. The line was abandoned between Merritt and Michelson in 1930 and between Falmouth Junction (Veneer) and Merritt in 1938. In 1964, the remainder of line was sold to the Cadillac & Lake City Railroad and was operated both as a tourist railroad and common carrier through 1971. The remainder of the line was abandoned and removed about 1984.

Cache

The cache is hidden near the former grade of the GR&I near Merritt. To find the cache, subsitute answers found at stage 1. The cache can be found at:

• The cache can be found at N 44° 13.ABC W 085° 05.DEF
  
  
• A = Third digit of the year the line was extended from Round Lake Junction to Sands Junction.
• B = Third digit of the year the line reached Michelson.
• C = Fourth digit of the year a short branch was built north from Sandstown to Lake City.
• D = Third digit of the population of Falmouth in 1897.
• E = Third digit of the year the railroad arrived in Falmouth, plus 2.
  
• F = Third digit of the year the remainder of the line was sold to the C&LC


• checksum (A+B+C+D+E+F) = 22

Sources: