About the George Washington Carver National Monument Virtual Cache:
NOTE: Recent changes to the visitor center required one of the original questions (# 8) be changed, as one of their displays was altered. I will accept either the answer to the original question, or to the new question below.
This cache is located within a United States Park Services National Monument, near the small community of Diamond, in the southwest corner of the state of Missouri. As with all Virtual Caches, you will need a GPS device to get you to the starting point (near the trail head at the visitor center). As this is a Virtual Cache you will not be looking for a container or signing anything. (Note: Physical caches are not permitted within our National Parks.) This Virtual Cache was approved by the Park Superintendent.
You will be looking for answers to questions found in this cache description, so you will need something to document the answers as you find them.
This virtual cache will require travel on The Carver Trail (the trail is approximately 3/4 miles in length and contains a combination of boardwalk, compacted aggregate and asphalt surface. The maximum slope reaches 5.2 degrees.). The self-guided trail begins and ends at the Park’s Visitor Center. At one point the trail opens into the undeveloped yard of the Carver home the surface of which may be uneven. The home itself is not wheelchair accessible (entering is not required to claim the ‘Find’). The trail begins again on the far side of the home’s yard. At another point the trail allows access to a small cemetery, which is also an undeveloped grassy area the surface of which may be uneven (again, you will not need to enter for your ‘find’). I am uncertain the described undeveloped grassy parts of this park will be easily accessible to all wheelchairs (if anyone with more knowledge or experience than I cares to provide an opinion on accessibility, please do share and I will edit/update this information, thanks).
The Visitor Center has an elevator and appears to be fully accessible. Note: George Washington Carver was well ahead of his time in his beliefs about conservation. As with all places we are allowed to geocache, please be respectful of nature and the facilities here. Mr. Carver would undoubtedly appreciate Geocaching’s CITO (Cache In Trash Out) initiative. So if you see trash, pick it up and put it in its place. Thanks! You will need to find eight (8) pieces of information during your explorations and send it to me via e-mail in order to earn your ‘Find’ I have noted below where and how many of the answers digits or letters are needed for each answer (for example, answer one requires a three digit and nine letter answer). Good luck!
Answers found on the Carver Trail:
1- Near the interlocking log foundation of the location thought to be the birthplace of George Washington Carver is a placard ‘What an Orphan Chooses to Forget - and Remember’. George Washington Carver recalled the effort Moses Carver made to get him back after he was kidnapped. Moses Carver rewarded a Union Scout for the return of the boy. Question: According to the placard, what was the reward? ### _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2- Near the pond is a placard entitled ‘His First Prayer’. George recalls the first time he prayed he was in the loft kneeling by a barrel. Question: What did he say was in the barrel? _ _ _ _
3- On the trail near the waters of Carver Branch is a placard entitled ‘From Pebbles to Paintings’ describing his interest in art. He discovered Alabama clays produced beautiful long-lasting pigments. Question: According to this placard he patented a process for creating over how many different colors? ###
4- On the trail just outside of the Carver Cemetery is a placard entitled ‘Resting Places’. The placard indicates there are more than twenty marked burials, the last grave marked in the year 1919. Question: According to the placard, burials took place in this cemetery for about how many years? ##
Answers found in the Visitor Center:
5- Just outside the north entry door is the cross section of a great Elm tree on which placards mark tree rings which correspond to events in Carver’s life. Question: On what year did ‘George visit Moses one last time.”? ####
6- On the main floor at the display panel marked ‘Daily Life of George’s Boyhood Years’, some of the notes about his daily life are listed. Question: This panel shares that Susan taught George two handy skills, what are they? How to _ _ _ _ and _ _ _ _ _ _ _
7- “On the second floor, locate the ‘Jesup Wagon’ model, designed and outfitted by George Washington Carver as an outreach to rural farm families near Tuskegee Institute. Above it, find the broadbill advertising ‘Farmer’s Picnic of July 15, 1905’. George Washington Carver served on the discussion panel. Question: What was the ‘Great Subject for Debate’: ‘Is it our duty to _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _?’
8- On the second floor find the poster with the big orange circle labeled 'the big idea'. It details how people liked to hear George Washington Carver speak to groups large and small. Question: George Washington Carver 'did not judge people by the color of their skin, but by _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . '
About the George Washington carver National Monument:
This quiet and beautiful National Park marks the birthplace of George Washington Carver, agricultural educator, innovator, scientist, and humanitarian. The park celebrates its 75th year July 2018. George Washington Carver was born the child of an enslaved young woman named Mary near the end of the American Civil War (around 1864). George, his mother, and his older brother James were the only slaves of Moses and Susan Carver. His father died shortly after his birth. As an infant only a few weeks old, George and his mother were kidnapped from the Carver farm with only his brother James escaping. Moses Carver hired a man to find the family, but only George was located and returned. Moses and Susan Carver brought George and his brother into their home, and helped in their upbringing. George was very sick when brought back to the Carver farm, and remained frail throughout his childhood. George’s weakened condition excused him from most common physical chores around the farm, which allowed him the freedom to explore the woods and fields near his home. He would marvel at nature around him. He began tending and studying plants in what he called his ‘secret garden’ near the cabin where he lived. George would become known as the ‘Plant Doctor’ to those who knew him because of his amazing abilities with flowers and other plants. George longed for education. Unable to attend the school in the nearby community of Diamond Grove he attended classes in Neosho, Missouri, eight miles away. He asked a kind woman, Mariah Watkins, if he could rent a room from her so he would not have to make the long trek daily. He identified himself to her as Carver’s George, as he had done his entire life. She told him his name is George Carver, which he used from this point forward. George liked Watkins, and she made a great impression upon him, particularly in furthering his education, and sharing knowledge he had gained with others. George eventually attended Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa where he studied art, but with the encouragement of his art teacher, he went on to study agricultural science at Iowa State Agricultural College in Ames, Iowa. With the encouragement of his professors here, he earned a Master of Agriculture, and later became the first black faculty member at this college. In 1896 George was invited by Booker T. Washington, President of the Tuskegee Institute (Tuskegee, Alabama) to head the Agriculture Department. He taught at the Tuskegee Institute for 47 years. During his time here, he developed innovative techniques for farmers and crops. George Washington Carver died on January 5th 1943 around the age of 78, and was buried near Booker T. Washington at Tuskegee University. On his grave was written: He could have added fortune to fame, but caring for neither, he found happiness and honor in being helpful to the world. Though the times and tribulations of the era and the physical difficulties of youth conspired to hold him back, George Washington Carver led an amazing life and gained a celebrity status that started with a little boy humbly known as ‘the Plant Doctor’. There are so many more details about the life and times of this great American, and his achievements.
There are numerous educational events and activities held regularly at this Park as well. I encourage you to check their website for more details. George Washington Carver National Monument website: https://www.nps.gov/gwca Park information:
Admission to the park and visitor center is free, and there are no parking fees.
The Visitor Center is open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm every day of the week.
The park is closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
Address: 5646 Carver Road Diamond, MO 64840 Phone: 417-325-4151 Virtual Reward - 2017/2018
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between August 24, 2017 and August 24, 2018. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards on the Geocaching Blog.