Westerville Whiskey Wars

Description

Simplified!  In the first few months after publishing this geocache, only Fat Chuk and TimeSeeker had solved it.  We didn’t think it would be that challenging, but visiting the final cache is so worthwhile and rewarding that we decided to simplify the cache.  There are now three levels of difficulty:

• Easy: Revealing the hidden hint will give you the coordinates of all of the waypoints.  Just go to the final waypoint to find the physical cache. You can sign the easy log, but you will not be able to unlock the challenging log (see image of the cryptex below) that requires visiting the virtual waypoints and solving the riddles.

• Moderate: Use the hidden hint to get the waypoints, and then visit each virtual waypoint and solve the riddles to find the letters required to unlock the locked log (see image of the cryptex below).

• Challenging: Don’t look at the hidden hint...solve it all!

This is a combination mystery and multi-cache created by spacedude8 and dadionline.  It tells the story of true-life events through the journal entries of a fictional girl named Mary.  The waypoints that you will visit on this hunt take you to some of the locations associated with Westerville, Ohio’s “dry” history and its involvement in the temperance movement.  Each location will provide you with the key to deciphering the coordinates of the next waypoint. The final waypoint will take you to a physical cache where you will need all of the information you have acquired and your intellect in order to figure out the code required to open the cache.  The initial unencrypted coordinates provided for this cache will take you directly to the first virtual waypoint.

We tried to make this hunt family-friendly despite having a somewhat mature theme.  The puzzles are moderately complex, but should be solvable in an afternoon of fun for a reasonably astute individual, family or group, so hopefully it won’t take multiple visits.  The locations are all within walking distance (about 1.5 miles total walking), which should give you ample opportunity to stop and enjoy some of the wonderful establishments in Historic Uptown Westerville.  Some tips for solving the puzzle successfully follow.

When using a sign as a source of decryption text, obey the following rules:

• Include all text that is part of the historic site being described, including the title.

• Skip all numbers.

• A new word begins at a space.  Hyphenated words such as “anti-saloon” are one word.

• There is no difference between upper and lower case letters.

• Ignore parentheticals that are unrelated to the subject of the sign.

• We treated ‘A’ as the 1st letter in the alphabet.

All coordinates are followed by a word that will be encrypted in the same manner as the coordinates.  The word for each encrypted coordinate will be different, but each word will give a positive indication when you have decrypted the coordinates properly (“verified” for example). This mechanism will not help to validate fill-in-the-blank style solutions, but those are fairly easy.  Generally the encrypted coordinates are all encrypted in a similar, but slightly different manner. Each stage is intended to be slightly more difficult than the stage before it.

Don’t ignore the journal entries!  Some journal entries provide historical context, but others provide hints for solving the puzzle or decrypting the next coordinate.  If you are looking for a good challenge, then try to solve it without the hints. If you choose to use the hints be aware that only the first hint is provided under “Hint” on the cache page.  The hints for the other stages can be found in the description and have been encrypted in the same manner as the coordinates for that stage. This will permit you to look at the hint for one stage without spoiling any other stages.

Please do not post spoilers in logs or photos!

We wish to express our most sincere appreciation to the Westerville Public Library for their help and support in reviewing this information for historical accuracy.

The virtual waypoints for this cache are available 24/7; however, the final physical cache is only available during certain hours.  See availability table below.

Congratulations to Fat Chuk and TimeSeeker for being the first to find this cache!

Good Luck!

Coordinates: 40.12645278, -82.93321944 (Verified)

2Jul1875

I saw Mister Corbin walking to his saloon this morning.  He scares me a little even though Pa says he’s nice. He looks so mean walking around with a gun in each hand.  Pa says that he only carries guns because a lot of people are angry that he is selling booze in town. The bar just opened yesterday even though people had broken out the windows and dumped out all his booze the night before.

Pa was acting a bit stupid when he got home last night.  Ma asked him not to go to the saloon, but Pa enjoys drinking sometimes and he was curious to see Mister Corbin’s new saloon.  Ma was angry. She said that it’s not legal to sell that stuff in town, but Pa just shrugged and said “yea, but the cops don’t care”.

6Jul1875

Patches woke me up last night with her crazy barking!  We weren’t sure what was wrong with her until this morning.  Mister Corbin’s saloon was blown up! Patches must have heard the explosion.  Pa says that the building is still there, but was severely damaged. Nobody seems to know who did it.  Pa is glad that Mister Corbin is keeping the saloon open.

Factoid: An ordinance prohibiting the sale of alcohol in Westerville was passed in 1859, but when Henry Corbin opened his saloon on 1Jul1875 alcohol was being sold for medicinal purposes at the local pharmacy.  Prominent town citizens were consuming alcohol under the guise of medicine, but were not tolerant of alcohol sold in saloons.

19Oct1875

Ma was happy today.  She found out that the reason Pa hasn’t come home tipsy recently is that Mister Corbin finally closed up the saloon.  His saloon was blown up three times and he still kept it going, but he finally gave up and closed it. We won’t soon forget that address though!

Factoid: Despite the saloon being blown up three times, windows broken out with stones on multiple occasions and rotten eggs thrown at it regularly, Henry Corbin continued to sell alcohol out of the small kitchen at the back of the building.  It was the regular arrests and legal battles that eventually made it impossible to maintain profitability and forced him to close the saloon.

Key: _ _

(see hint #1 below)

Coordinates: 40.12621389, -82.9_15_167 (Verified)

12Aug1879

Pa has been coming home drunk again.  Mister Corbin opened another saloon in a hotel on State Street.  Most of the town, including Ma, are not very happy about it.

I received a letter from Lucy today.  It’s wonderful how dear a friend came from a chance meeting while on holiday in Chicago.  I wonder how many letters I’ve received from her now; I’ll have to count them! The last letter that I count will surely be the key to learning where she is going next.

15Sep1879

Everyone was awakened in the middle of the night last night by a huge boom.  We all rushed uptown to see what had happened. To our surprise the new saloon had been blown up.  Mister Corbin must be so frustrated. The explosion was so big that the entire building was destroyed.  The buildings next door were also damaged slightly. I was happy to hear that nobody was killed, because there were people staying in the hotel upstairs.  I wonder what they will build to replace his hotel.

Factoid: 52 pounds of gunpowder had been stolen from a nearby storage facility and was used to blow up the saloon.  Henry Corbin was apparently the only one substantially injured by the explosion; he suffered head wounds and was knocked unconscious.  Despite this he was charged for having blown up his own saloon and hotel, but was not found guilty. He had declared that he would open another saloon, but nobody would rent him their property for fear of it being destroyed.  The events surrounding Henry Colbin’s saloons have become known as the Westerville Whiskey Wars.

Key #1: _

Hint #1

Upon the gateway is found the key, next a plaque is plain to see. Counting letters is often slow, but the key is how far to go. A letter, but what to do with it?  Each letter has a place in the alphabet. A cipher you need, from Caesar take heed.

Coordinates: 73.45633889, -15.26374990 (Ydolg)

7Feb1890

I received a letter from Lucy today.  She gave birth to their third child on July 24, _ _ _ _, a girl that they named Agnes May Meyer.  I am so happy for them!

18Apr1895

I just received exciting news from Lucy.  She is moving from Illinois to Westerville!  Her husband, Gustav, has obtained a position at Otterbein College as the director of the department of music.  Imagine the fortune that my dear friend of so many years would move to the same small town in Ohio where I live!  Agnes and my own daughter Ann Marie are about the same age; they are destined to become great friends.

Factoid: Agnes Driscoll, born Agnes May Meyer, lived in this house from 1901 (about the age of 12) until 1909 (about the age of 20).  She would go on to become the “First Lady of Navy Cryptology”.

Key: _ _ _ _

(see hint #2 below)

Coordinates: 40._230_ _89, -82._3040278 (Verified)

12May1908

There has been much excitement within the anti-alcohol community.  They learned that the Anti-Saloon League of America is looking for a location where they can consolidate their full operation.  An effort is underway to raise funds so that land may be purchased as a means of attracting this most desirable organization to our town.

12Feb1909

Today all of the church and school bells rang in unison to celebrate the arrival of the Anti-Saloon League of America’s leadership.  They were deeply impressed by the town’s dry history and actions to keep it that way, and accepted Westerville’s offer of land for their new headquarters.  Unfortunately it looks like Lucy’s family will have to move, because the land they bought is where Lucy’s current home is located.

The celebrations continued this evening with numerous bonfires throughout the town.  There was no alcohol involved, but it was quite the raucous scene nonetheless.

_ _ Sep1909

The Anti-Saloon League of America finally moved their headquarters into the home where Lucy’s family was living.  I visited with Lucy today at their new residence. We let Agnes and Ann Marie play while I helped Lucy get settled in.

Being around Lucy is so stimulating; I feel like I’m learning a word a day.  I am so glad that we live so near to one another now; I remember the first letter I received from Lucy when I was just a girl.  I was so excited just to receive something.

Factoid: The Anti-Saloon League of America (ASLA) was founded on 18Dec1895 in Washington, DC as the merger of the Anti-Saloon League and the Ohio Anti-Saloon League.  The Westerville Whiskey Wars and the dedication of Westerville residents to the “dry” movement were primary factors in the decision to move the ASLA national headquarters to Westerville.

Key #2: _

Hint #2

Frxqwlqj ohwwhuv lv vorz lqghhg, exw frxqwlqj zrugv zloo jlyh brx vshhg.  Ri wkh zrug brx ilqg, qrw doo, wdnh khhg! Wkh iluvw ohwwhu lv doo brx zloo qhhg.

Coordinates: 84.56867490, -26.37996666 (Qcffsqh)

19Nov1912

Reverend Baker built a home at the corner of Park and Grove streets.  The Reverend is the general superintendent of the anti-saloon league. Since he built his house many of the other senior members of the anti-saloon league have begun building houses near him.  People have taken to calling the area Temperance Row.

I wonder how many homes there will be in the temperance row area once the building boom is finished.  It seems that a prospective resident must first decide which side of the issue they are on. If they are on the correct side, then they can move to the row.  Everyone on the row looks to the first resident for guidance.

Factoid: Temperance Row is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its national, state and local significance.

Key #3: _

Hint #3

Aobm vcasg wb hvs sbqzojs, hvoh sjczjsr tfca hvs fck?  Pchv rwuwhg ct hvwg qcibh mci’zz bssr hc ybck. O gwub kwhv hkc gwrsg, vck kwzz mci qvccgs?  Ct hvs rwuwhg mci vojs tcibr, hvs twfgh wg mcif aigs. Cbs acfs rwuwh fsaowbg; hvs fck mci kwzz gss.  Wg gszsqhsr oh zogh pm hvwg bsk tcibr ysm. Aobm zshhsfg wb hvwg zwbs hc dcbrsf obr fsgdsqh. Hvs twfgh wg hvs qvofoqhsf hvoh mci gvcizr gszsqh. 

Coordinates: 95.67079999, -37.48675723 (Hjrrthh)

8Sep1914

I heard that the Anti-Saloon League of America has proposed an amendment to the United States Constitution making it illegal to sell intoxicating beverages.  There is a great deal of fervor in Westerville around the anti-alcohol movement, but it seems unlikely that the whole nation would approve such a measure. They haven’t spared any words trying to accomplish that goal though.  

14Nov1914

I received two letters from Ann Marie today.  She has been traveling. They were the first letters that I have received since her departure.  It sounds like she is having a great time. She says that she would like to revisit these two places over and over again.

26Feb1916 

As the postman delivered the mail in the snow today I was contemplating how much mail our post office handles.  The American Issue Publishing Company puts out so much anti-alcohol mail that they ship it directly in railway mail cars, but they know the addresses of the post office anyway.  It’s nice having a first class post office in such a small town.

Factoid: The Anti-Saloon League of America had their own modern printing company.  At its peak the Anti-Saloon League of America was circulating 40 tons of anti-alcohol mail each month!

Keys #4 and #5: _ _

Hint #4

Tprw ixbt p ctl rwpgpritg, qji iwxh ixbt xh ctl.  Cdi dct lxaa ndj ctts...iwxh ixbt xi’h ild! Lwtgt pgt iwt ldgsh?  Ndj sdc'i ctts id vjthh! Iwt ldgsh ndj rpc uxcs lwtc ndj jht iwt pssgthh. Qji iwtgt pgt iwgtt; lwxrw id xvcdgt?  Sdc’i qjn btpi X sd xbeadgt. Ild pssgthhth gtbpxc, ndj hwdjas jht qdiw. Iwtn’aa atps ndj id ldgsh, X vxkt ndj bn dpiw!  Du iwtht ldgsh, lwxrw atiitgh sd ndj ctts? Iwt uxghi du qdiw ldgsh lxaa wtae ndj xcstts. Rpthpg ndj hwdjas udaadl ph ndj wpkt sdct qtudgt, qji paitgcpixcv cdl lxiw dct atiitg bdgt.

Coordinates: 90.62008661, -32.43640228 (Eltwxmtfn)

17Jan1920

They did it...they actually did it!  The 18th amendment of the constitution of the United State of America was passed and ratified last year, and today it went into force.  The United States is officially a dry country. It is no longer legal to sell intoxicating liquors anywhere in the country. I am not opposed to prohibition, but I fear that enforcement may be difficult and costly.  My father is probably rolling in his grave, but my mother would have certainly been pleased. Getting this amendment passed was a Herculean effort; one that even the Romans might have viewed as remarkable.

21Nov1933

Astonishing!  The Anti-Saloon League of America and supportive residents of Westerville are clearly not ready to accept defeat.  Westerville has voted itself dry again! The 21st amendment, which will get rid of prohibition, was passed by congress in February.  It will permit states and cities to enact their own prohibition laws as they see fit, so Westerville wasted no time taking advantage of the allowance.  It seems likely that the states will ratify the amendment quickly.

5Dec1933

Almost 15 years of being a dry country and today the 21st constitutional amendment repealed the 18th amendment, so the United States of America is once again wet!  Locally this was viewed as a great disappointment, but there was a great deal of opposition to the prohibition act. I believe that more citizens oppose prohibition than support it, so whatever my feelings on the issue, democracy has won a victory today.  Once again the Romans would have been amazed.

I am an old woman now and I have grown weary of this issue; however, I wonder how it will play out for Ann Marie and her children.  As for the Anti-Saloon League of America, they continue to count lines and letters as they publish anti-alcohol material. Perhaps they are looking for another sign before they see the writing on the wall.

Factoid: Uptown Westerville remained “dry” until 2004, when a liquor license for the Old Bag of Nails pub was approved by 71% of voters.

Key #6: _

Hint #5

Uig qwyc nwy goayh wwucatx, ibt ubycxbycnh qtlt nli.  Eygbpjh u qldeth qugltf lcaf wyaj ii hbdq nij! Hd gpniyg qwcrb hcsy dz ibt chmjy ibts pvxxt, ubicahn pfa ccpdfkys zdlbys u vltui  xxpxxt. Ftniygm pm cobvtlh cc iax Gibuc zpmwcdh, dh turb hcsy xm llxniyc qxnw ccwgyscqft jpmhcdh. Qoi qwygy plt nwyhy jmtx? Xn xmc’n p mwlxht. Djmi npet u aide pldocx, phs sdo lcaf hyt u hcvh!  Xz ibt xgs cobvtl xm jmtx ibth p fxht qxfa vt axpth, ibt qtn cobvtl nctfsm ibt ftniyg wdocn ii qy slxpth.

Coordinates: 62.34528166, -04.15233333 (Oazsdmfgxmfuaze)

You have one more challenge, which can only be solved at this final location.  Don’t cheat; play it through from A to Z. You wouldn’t want my sobs on your conscience.  Once solved you should have all seven letters you need to open the container, but don’t get frustrated if the letters don’t fall into place at first.

Key #7: _

All Letter Keys: _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Hint #6

Ruzp ftq eusz, mxx xqffqde uf dane. Buow ftq azq ftmf omgeqe yadq eane.

   Marks the spot!

Hint #7

“Ozsl kwimwfuw ak jayzl?” qgm esq skc, s jwsd ogjv afvwwv oadd ghwf lzak uskc.  Ozsl vg qgm zsnw ozwf qgm vgf'l fwwv s hgdd, lzw jwsd ogjv qgm kwwc ak fgfw glzwj lzsf _______.