Situated on a hill overlooking the city of Reading are three cemeteries that share a common space. They are Saint Peters Catholic Cemetery, Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, and Saint Johns German Lutheran Cemetery.
While you are here exploring, you will be treated to some incredible views of Reading, the Pagoda, and the mountains rolling into the distance.
Navigating through all three cemeteries on foot is no issue, but by car is more difficult because Saint Peters has no roads connecting to the other two. The entrance for Saint Peters and the shared entrance for Trinity Lutheran/Saint Johns Lutheran are marked as parking waypoints to help navigation by car.
All of the stops on the tour are things that I found to be the most interesting. While you are here, pay your respects to those who have left us and as always absolutely no night caching.
There are 14 waypoints you will be visiting. The coordinates for the waypoints are listed in the waypoint section. At each stop, you will collect information which will be used to calculate the coordinates to the final cache-an ammo box.
The final cache is NOT located on any cemetery grounds, but rather on nearby Neversink Mountain. The trailhead coordinates to the final are listed in the waypoint section. You can either navigate to the trailhead by car and park next to the gate or walk there through St Peters Cemetery.
Enjoy the tour!!
Letter A: Civil War Flagpole
A flagpole in the middle of Trinity Lutheran Cemetery with a Civil War memorial stone. The stone mentions a color.
A=The number of letters in the color
Letter B: A Soldier's View
High atop the hill of Saint Johns German Lutheran Cemetery is a section dedicated to soldiers. Most of the soldiers served in World War I. Go to the back row of headstones by the flagpole and find John Laser.
B=Second digit of the Medical Detachment he served in
Letter C: Let's Shake On It
A very old headstone with a carving on it. The carving shows two hands and what other object?
Flower (C=0)
Cross (C=1)
Book (C=2)
Bird (C=3)
Letter D: Together In Death
Here are two headstones-one for a man and his wife. The headstones each have a separate carving that seem like they could be put together to form one carving. They also each have a separate inscription across the top that when combined form a sentence.
D=Total number of words when the inscriptions are combined
Letter E: Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death!
While standing here, look toward the city and you will see this is the first in a row of graves for Revolutionary War soldiers. All of the other stones were impossible to read except for this one. Make sure you are looking at the stone for George Lasch.
E=Last digit in the year of birth
Letter F: Remember The Maine
Here is a rarity in all of the cemeteries I have explored-a Spanish American War veteran. Look at his birth year.
F=Last digit in the year of birth
Letter G: O'Reilly Crest
A large headstone with the O'Reilly family crest. Under the picture on the crest is a Latin inscription.
G=Number of words in the Latin inscription
Letter H: Life Comes Full Circle
There are 3 different graves at this location that I found very interesting. The left one looks like something you would find in the European catacombs. The middle one has taken the concept of "rock on" literally.
You are interested in the right one for Catharine. There are circles that decorate the top of her headstone.
H=How many circles decorate her headstone? It will be a 2 digit number. H is the first digit.
Letter I: Chess Anyone?
Chess was my favorite game when I was a kid. When I saw this headstone, chess is all I could think of. It looks just like my favorite piece in the game. Find the side with Anna Maria
I=Third digit in the year of birth
Letter J: All In The Family
This little section is dedicated to the Nolan family. I was amazed by how many headstones they have in this section. Find the one for Ann Bennett. She was 98 years old!!
J=Last digit in the year of death
Letter K: Long Way From Home
This headstone is quite a long way from home for John who is buried in a foreign country.
K=Number of letters in the country that John is buried
Letter L: I'm A Lumberjack And I'm Okay
Interesting headstone that caught my eye with a memorial logo I have never seen before.
L=________ Of The World. L is the number of letters in the missing word.
Letter M: Marvelous Masonry
The stone artwork on this headstone is impressive. On the bottom, two people are remembered. Find the Father.
M=Third digit in the year of death
Letter N: Obelisk Of A Different Color
All the stone obelisks I have seen are always white or gray. Have not seen one this color before. Toward the top there is a scroll with a name on it.
N=Number of letters in the name
Final Coordinates: N 40 19.(A+B)(H-F)(K-N) W 075 5(C+I).(G-M)(E-L)(D-J)
Checksums:
North:A+B+H+F+K+N=25
West:C+I+G+M+E+L+D+J=34