This cache is hidden near a statue that memorializes Jackson Ward native Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Famous for his skill as a tap dancer and performer, Bill became the highest paid African American entertainer in the first half of the 20th century. The statue, installed in 1973, was sculpted by Jack Witt.
Born in 1878 at 915 N. Third Street, Bill Robinson was raised by his grandmother, a former slave. The nickname Bojangles originated from his childhood, though the reason is unknown. From a young age, Bill shelled peas and danced on the sidewalk to make a living until he was discovered and headed to Broadway in 1900.
Bill’s success as a performer landed him the title “The King of the Tap Dancers”. Some highlights of his career include a starring role in the film “Stormy Weather”, numerous collaborations with the child star Shirley Temple, and involvement in the first all black film ever made. Robinson also often boasted that he could run backward faster than most men could go forward. Many consider this claim substantiated due to the stunt he pulled at the ripe age of 60; he tap danced backwards 60 blocks down Broadway, one for each year of his life. Alongside his fame as a performer, Robinson co-founded the New York Black Yankees baseball team in Harlem in 1936. He was also known for his catchphrase that he allegedly coined: “Everything’s copacetic”, meaning all is in good order.
In his native city of Richmond, Bill is memorialized by the Robinson Theater in Church Hill and the Bill “Bojangles” Robinson statue that watches over the corner of Leigh and Adams streets. The placement of his statue at this location was not random. On a return visit to Richmond in 1933, Bill noticed that there was no stoplight at this intersection and worried for the safety of the students at the nearby Armstrong High School. He then donated the money to the city to fund the installation of the first traffic control light north of Broad Street. Bill Robinson is pictured below turning on the stoplight for the first time.
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This cache should be an easy grab. Please bring a writing utensil and some sort of log extractor tool. Street parking is available and there's even a small side street that is more convenient for the temporary parker. There are also GRTC bus stops very close by to the cache.