When you arrive at the published coordinates, you will see a structure that has a link to the Washington Monuments, the one in Baltimore and the one in Washington, D.C. This home was designed by Robert Mills, the architect who designed many buildings, including the two monuments mentioned above.
The History: The home you see was built by Robert Oliver (1757-1834), Oliver, a merchant and one of the Baltimore's first mercantile millionaires, was one of the original directors of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Born in Northern Ireland, he came to America at age 26 and engaged in importing during the golden age of the port's explosive growth. He reached a pinnacle of prosperity about 1815 and gradually withdrew from trade, concentrating on investments and real estate. Oliver owned a "suburban" estate in the city called Green Mount. That estate is now Baltimore's most prestigious cemetery.
In 1819, Robert Oliver and his brother John purchased more than 1500 acres of land along the Gunpowder River approximately 12 miles from the city and began the construction of a "country seat" suited to hunting and fishing as well as a place for scientific farming. Oliver commissioned American-born architect Robert Mills, an exponent of Federalist and Greek Revival architecture, to build a hunting lodge there. Mills had already made a name for himself in architecture, and Oliver wanted to build a showpiece. Mills built Oliver's Federalist-style hunting lodge in 1820 for about $7,000. The estate would come to be called Harewood. The original structure contained two kitchens and six bedrooms. The brick walls are one foot thick, and all of the 7 fireplaces are on exterior walls. At the time, this was the latest technology in fire-proof construction.
Oliver had fifteen years to enjoy Harewood and it was the scene of lavish entertainment for shooting and ducking parties. A description of the estate, by a guest who visited in the 1830s, stated " Harewood was just a plain sporting-lodge, without any outward appearance or pretension. It is well situated upon a gentle eminence overlooking a couple of fine reaches of the Gunpowder river; on the land side the deer-park spreads away to the forest, being divided from the lawn by an invisible fence."
The estate was largely self sufficient, with its own 4 horsepower grist mill, cows, pigs, sheep, horses and mules, fields of wheat, corn, rye, fruit trees, and a wine cellar holding more than 2,100 bottles. Oliver had a deer herd that numbered between 300 and 400 deer. It should also be noted that Oliver had approximately a dozen slaves.
Eight years after Oliver's death, the estate was sold to George Brown, the heir to a Baltimore City banker. Brown leased the property and for a time it was operated as a resort known as the "Harewood Hotel." Brown sold the estate in 1848 and the property exchanged hands many times since, most of the land eventually being subdivided and sold to become what is today the Oliver Beach and Harewood communities. The Oliver House remains privately owned. The property to the south of the house was deeded to the Oliver Beach Community Association and is used for a park and for community events, such as concerts and the like.
Sources: Maryland Historical Trust State Historic Sites Inventory Form Survey No. BA 511; Baltimore Sun (6/19/2005) Oliver House gives glimpse into the past
The cache: You will have to visit the published coords to obtain the information you need to sign the log. Published coordinates will bring you to a pair of twin columns, about 3-4 feet high. One of them has "The Oliver House" chiseled into it. Directly across the street is a utility pole (I have provided a waypoint below). Just below the No Parking sign on the pole are 2 sets of numbers, a 4 digit number in yellow and a 6 digit number. Use these numbers to obtain the coordinates for the final:
- AA = the last 2 digits of the number in yellow, plus 2
- BCD = the last 3 digits of the six digit number, plus 13
- EFG = the last 3 digits of the six digit number, plus 32
- The location of the cache container = N39 AA.BCD, W076 AA.EFG
You do not need to leave your car to obtain the information above, but this is a nice community for a run, walk, or short bike ride. I have found the residents to be very friendly. The streets can seem to be a bit of a maze, but you will find your way in and out.
Congratulations to kbittner14 and jedi07 for co-FTF