* Find THIS Gas Lamp in Boston *
READ THE ENTIRE DESCRIPTION!
(Left is in Boston, Right is in Kyoto.)
The posted coords is on top of the Massachusetts State House with it's signature Golden Dome, yet this is NOT the final location you will need to visit. You will need to locate and visit an important 'object', uniquely designed 'Gas Lamp' within the City of Boston, which is related to it's first Sister City, the City of Kyoto.
You MUST visit the 'projected' location to qualify for a find.
Read ALL "Logging Requirements" below!
Kyoto, Japan (京都、日本) became Boston's first Sister City on June 24th, 1959. The two cities have many in common, such as great wealth of history (both have many "Oldest/First ... in the Country"), education (both have top-notch Universities), culture, commerce, and strong neighborhood identities.
As a tangible gesture of friendship toward the people of Boston, the City of Kyoto has donated The Japan House to the Boston Children's Museum. To date, this is believed to be the most generous gift from a foreign Sister City to an American community.
The City of Boston has also donated several items to the City of Kyoto in return, which includes a few sculptures matching those found in Boston, such as the "Boy and Bird" statue by Bashka Paeff located next to the famous George Washington statue at the Boston Public Garden. (see Additional Waypoints)
Also gifted from the City of Boston to the City of Kyoto, was a symbolic 'Gas Lamp' of a specific and unique design, which actually was once used in front of the Massachusetts State House. This gifted Boston Gas Lamp is now placed in front of the Kyoto City Hall, as can be viewed virtually via Google Street view "Photo Sphere" or 360˚ panorama photo. (web link, and also see Additional Waypoints)
Many gas lamps are still commonly used even today in various Boston neighborhoods, including an area not far from this Virtual Cache. Yet, among all of these gas lamps, there is only one (1) location within this neighborhood where you can find the identically designed gas lamps to the one gifted to the City of Kyoto. All other gas lamps in this neighborhood have been replaced with those of a more modern, generalized and 'square' design, nothing of any resemblance to the one gifted to Kyoto from Boston, which are more 'cylindrical'.
Update 2019/08/07: Thanks to Post-it Bandit, another street within this neighborhood has been located to have this specifically designed gas lamps! Amazing! They are lining the "Cedar Lane Way", BUT visiting the gas lamps on this street DO NOT COUNT as a qualifying find for this Virtual Cache from today and on. You MUST visit the 'projected' location to qualify for a find. Read "Logging Requirements" below!
Update 2022/02/28: Moved Posted Coords a tad North, to avoid a bit confusing overlapping on the map with nearby new Virtual Cache The Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial 🎖️ | VR 2.0, and even closer and newer Virtual Cache HBGT1: The Massachusetts State House. Projection information has been updated accordingly as well.
Logging Requirements
In order to log this Virtual Cache, you must locate and actually visit the location where these unique and specifically designed 'Gas Lamps' can be seen, AND complete ALL the following three (3) tasks:
Task 1: GO to specific location, to find these specific gas lamps.
Where to go find these specific gas lamps?
From posted coords N 42° 21.495 W 071° 03.821, project 489 meters/1,604 feet at 287 degrees.
(Waypoint Projections can be done easily on your GPSr, or by using free apps like iGCT (iOS), FizzyCalc (Mac/PC), and online at GPS Visualizer online, Geocaching Toolbox, and CacheSleuth . If you know other easy methods/apps, please post in your log!)
GPS Visualizer online URL: http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/calculators
Geocaching Toolbox online URL: https://www.geocachingtoolbox.com (Added 2019/11/27, Thanks Desmond Lynam!)
CacheSleuth online URL: https://www.cachesleuth.com (Added 2022/09/22)
Warning!: As mentioned, although now VERY rare, there are several 'other' locations throughout the city that has gas lamps of this design. Finding these 'alternatives' DO NOT qualify for your logging requirements.
Task 2: POST a picture within your Found log (just sending picture to me does NOT count!) any part of you/your group/your GPSr in front of these specifically designed 'Gas Lamps' at the location of Task 1. (Be VERY careful NOT to include the 'Street Name' in your picture!)
Task 3: ANSWER the following two (2) questions, and send them to me either by "The quickest way" stated below, or by Geocaching email or Geocaching messenger via My Profile:
- A: What is the side-street's "Full Street Name" of where these 'Gas Lamps' of specific and unique design can be found on?
- B: From your projected GZ, where you can see these 'Gas Lamps', look at the ground around you on the sidewalk, and locate a palm-size small round metal object. What one (1) word does it say on this object?....(Check hint, if ambiguous!)
The quickest way to verify your answers, is to send an email with your geocaching name (or if a team, include all your geocaching names) in the 'subject' AND 'body' of the message to email address A.B@gmail.com.
Fill in value 'A' using the side-street's 'Full Street Name' (continuously/no spaces/no abbreviations), add "." (dot/period), followed by value 'B' as the one (1) word of which you've collected).
If you have the correct answers, you should receive an auto-reply email message right away, giving you qualifications for Tasks 1 & 3. To log this Virtual Cache, do not forget Task 2, to upload your picture(s) to your Found log! Logs without permission or without picture will be deleted without a warning, unfortunately. Alternatively, feel free to send your answers to me through Geocaching.com by email or message center, but it may take a little longer for me to reply.
Please do your best NOT to leave any spoilers which could give away any part of the answers to the logging requirements!
It is fine to post your 'Found' logs prior to sending me your answers and/or receiving my permission to log, although just do not forget to fulfill the requirements afterwards as soon as possible. Even after doing so, in case you have not heard back from me, please assume you have fulfilled the logging requirements. Failing to comply with the logging requirements, your Found log will be deleted without a warming, unfortunately.
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.
References:
• City of Boston's Sister City webpage (Web Link)
• City of Kyoto's Sister City webpage, in Japanese (Web Link)
• City of Kyoto's Boston Gas Lamp webpage, in Japanese (Web Link)
• City of Kyoto's "Boy and Bird" statue webpage, in Japanese (Web Link)
• Boston Children's Museum web archives about Boston & Kyoto (PDF Link)
Honorary Virtual Cache FTF (First-To-Find) goes to great Geocaching friends & family of CuriousKDB, tacoman14 and capncrunch623! Congratulations!
(CO Dr.MORO updated 2020/03/09)