NOTE: In October 2020 the final physical stage was relocated to a more secure location. If you had previously downloaded the Wherigo cartridge prior to this date, please be sure to download the latest version.
2020 marks the 150th birthday of the city of Laurel. Laurel historically has benefited from its favorable location. Located on the Patuxent River fall line, it was an early Native American site, and later a source for water power. The Snowdens, English settlers arriving in the late 18th century, built a grist mill in 1811, and by 1824 a small cotton mill.
By the late 19th century Laurel was evolving into an early suburban community, with excellent transportation and access to both Washington and Baltimore. The Maryland General Assembly approved the town’s push for incorporation on April 4, 1870. On June 14, 1875, Laurel Factory became simply “Laurel.”
This Wherigo geocache will take you on a short tour covering some of the rich history of Laurel. To keep the Wherigo reasonable for those with limited time, we have only touched upon some of the historical themes that drove the growth and evolution of Laurel. We would recommend as time allows to explore and visit some of the sites you will pass by while enjoying the Wherigo. You will notice a wealth of interpretive signs, historical markers and other resources along your journey that tell the story of a small mill town that grew into what it is today.
You MUST download the Wherigo cartridge and application by clicking on this text!
The Wherigo Geocache
This geocache is NOT located at the listed coordinates. This is a Wherigo cache! Download the Wherigo cartridge here and copy it to your GPS or phone app. You will start your adventure from the posted coordinates, providing answers as the cartridge prompts to move on to the next stage. If you have trouble starting the cartridge at stage one, walk away from the area and re-start the cartridge and move back to the posted coordinates. Be sure to follow the instructions and questions on the screen carefully.
This Wherigo will likely involve some driving and some walking to move from stage to stage. You could potentially walk the entire route but this will take you much longer and involve a lot more walking. Some stages will require you to walk short distances. On average, it will likely take 45 minutes to an hour to complete the Wherigo but your experience may vary depending on the day and time. Be careful crossing streets and do not park illegally.
This Wherigo geocache is daylight hours only. Because some stages may take you on park grounds observing day use only, the City of Laurel has kindly asked geocachers from refraining to seek this cache outside of daylight hours.
This cache was placed with permission of the City of Laurel
