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GC7JQNP ▼

A cache by y2kcompliant Message this owner

Hidden : 4/1/2018

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Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

The first generation of wormhole caches were published in 2010, the series started with three caches. Fast forward to now, and a tradition continues to carry on. We hope you enjoy this April Fool’s Day prank!

Welcome to Orion Township, where living is a vacation!

The container is NOT at the posted coordinates.

The Village of Lake Orion has a very historic past. One of the first settlers to arrive from Detroit was Nathan Hemingway, who arrived in 1828. He traveled on a road so rough it required two days journey to travel 26 miles. A year later, Philip Bigler and Jesse Decker arrived and purchased a tract of land, where they erected a dam to unite several lakes into one large body of water: Lake Orion. They also constructed a sawmill below the present dam site. The waters of the Paint Creek powered machines that cut logs into board lumber and ground wheat into flour that was critical to early settlers. In 1832 the sawmill was burned by vengeful Indians, angry because they were refused whiskey.

In 1844 the first schoolhouse was built on the corner of Church and Anderson Streets. This building is still standing and is now a private residence. In 1854 the name of the town was changed to Orion, though local wags continued to call it Dogway. Some historians have stated that Dogway was a contraction of Canandaigua. Others claim the town was overrun by a pack of stray dogs. Orion was incorporated into a Village in 1859.

When the railroad came in 1872, Orion took rapid strides forward. Travelers discovered the rare beauty of the Village surrounded by lakes. In 1874 a group of men purchased what was later to be called Park Island, constructing a bridge to the mainland, a dance hall, a viewing tower and an amphitheatre. Trains made four daily trips to the Village, bringing thousands of people to the area.

In 1884 a pagoda was erected over the Orion Mineral Spring by Harold Emmons. The water was claimed to be beneficial to the kidneys and the liver. In 1891 the Orion Improvement Company bought Spencer Island (Bellevue), where a hotel was erected.

The Village had three major fires in its downtown: 1862, 1874 and 1899. Each time, the town was almost completely destroyed. Each time residents re-built the town.

In 1899 Orion had one and a half miles of sidewalk, a great feat for a small town. This year saw the greatest boom the Village had ever seen. Churches were attracted to the idea of a permanent spot for religious conventions. The Assembly Resort Association was formed, purchasing Bellevue Island and much of the shore property.

Park Island became an amusement center, complete with a roller coaster. In 1909 the Marine Postal Center was established, with mail delivered to over three hundred cottages on the lake and islands. Orion was the first town in the United States to have this service.

In 1919 Main Street was paved, and in 1927 a new school was built. In 1928 the name of the Village was officially changed from Orion to Lake Orion. A new well was added in 1930 to offset the dangers of fire, which had plagued the town so many times. To this day, no one knows why ‘Orion’ is pronounced “aw-ree-un”.

Present day Lake Orion is a mixture of the old and the new, conservative and progressive, fun and hard work. It has truly become a place “Where living is a vacation.”

The story of the Lake Orion Dragon says that sometime in the 1800s, a group of local children played a prank by building a fake dragon and launching it out in the lake. A number of people saw it and soon Lake Orion was known for its dragon. There are a number of stories as to who made it and how they built it but it is widely agreed that it was a prank.

That same year [~1894] the Lake Orion 'dragon' made its entrance into Orion history. First seen by two ladies near the present Robert’s Rondevoo cove, the animal grew in length as the story grew in listeners. What had started out as an average-sized lake monster was claimed by some to be at least eighty feet long. Detroit and other newspapers joshingly suggested, upon hearing of the behemoth, that Orion residents should 'drink more well water in the future.' The nickname of Lake Orion High School's sports teams (the Dragons) is derived from this.

While all of the above is very interesting, you probably are really visiting this page because you want to find a geocache. Well, to do that you need to use the clues below. The container’s actual location is:

N 42 4A.BCD W 83 1W.XYZ

Pretend you wanted to get an appraisal on your 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle baseball card. You could do that at a shop in Downtown Lake Orion. This place also specializes in another type of collectible. The number of letters in the third word on the signage that also describes that collectible is the solve for “A”.

If you wanted to find a spot to get dessert, you could do so at the north end of town right off of M-24. The number of ice cream cones on the sign above this popular establishment is the solution for “B”.

My family enjoys meeting for Saturday breakfast in downtown Lake Orion. Now we have options for dinner. The quantity of names before Lakehouse including one with an apostrophe S is the answer to “C”.

If all you want is a cup of java, you can make that happen just across the street. The number of letters in the name of this place is the solve for “D”.

If you are hankering for a burrito after your bike ride on the Paint Creek Trail, and don’t mind waiting for a seat, Lake Orion is the place to visit. Footwear is required for seating, but sombreros are not. We always take advantage of call ahead seating. The most common digit in the phone number for this always crowded place is what you need for “W”.

If you wanted to jog on the Paint Creek Trail instead of riding a bike, you might need to upgrade your footwear. The number of letters in the namesake of the place that could help you with this is the solve for “X”. This one is a little tricky…don’t count the letter ‘s’ on the end.

If you were lucky enough to make a sweet find at an estate sale and wanted to get a newly acquired piece of bling resized, Lake Orion can accommodate you with that. Find the appropriate establishment just off of M-24 with four words in its signage. The number of letters in the third word will yield “Y”.

Is it your turn to dress up as the Easter Bunny at next year’s extravaganza? Don’t fret, Lake Orion has a place to make sure you are the star of the event. The quantity of letters before the apostrophe S at this location will give you the answer for “Z”.

Enjoy!!!

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