**To log this cache take a picture of you next to the historical plaque and post in your log! NO PHOTOS FROM YOUR VEHICLE AS OF 9-20-2018 as this is a safety hazard!**
Munster, in the beginning was a way station for travelers on their way to Fort Dearborn now known as Chicago. The trail, known as "The Old Pike," was first used by Indians as a short-cut between the Great Lakes and the Great Prairies, and then used by explorers and westbound travelers. On December 11, 1816, when Indiana became the 19th state, the site of Munster was an undeveloped swamp. The way station inn built of logs in 1837 by David Gibson sat on the corner that is now Ridge Road and Columbia Avenue. Columbia Avenue was the only cross road on the ridge, and was a road as far back as 1838. One of the area's first settlers, Allen Brass, purchased the place in 1845. His two-story inn eventually became known as "The Brass Tavern." It was a favorite place for stagecoach travelers to stop. The tavern is also significant in history because it housed the region's only telegraph office which brought the first news to the area of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. A bronze historical tablet, imbedded in stone, currently sits on the site of the old tavern. It was placed there by the Julia Watkins Brass Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution around 1927. The tavern and, consequently, the telegraph office were destroyed by fire in 1909. To prevent the significance of this site from being forgotten, the historic marker was dedicated by the DAR in honor of Julia Watkins Brass, daughter of Oliver Watkins, an American Revolutionary war soldier who fought in the campaigns of George Washington. Julia Watkins Brass exhibited true pioneer spirit by continuing to run The Brass Tavern after her husband Allen left for the California gold rush. She was considered an excellent cook and hostess who offered a welcome respite for weary travelers along the trail of the Indiana wilderness. The site of Munster was under French rule until 1763 and was held by the British until after the Revolutionary War. The first settlers came to Munster in 1846 from the Netherlands and more of the Dutch families came in 1855. The town was named after the first postmaster, Jacob Munster. Rich farmlands along the north ridge on the Little Calumet River attracted the first families. Onions, beets, and cabbage were among the products farmed in the area. To log this cache take a picture of you with the historical plaque and post in your log!
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.