Rearing Pond Farm
Both stages of this cache are located within Lewis Emery Park. This park is open from dawn to dusk. Permission granted for cache placement by the director of the Lewis Emery Park, July 2020
I've been coming to this park for a long time and today was the first day I noticed this stone and plaque, which commemorates the first owners of the Rear Ponds. The farm was bought from the government in 1836 by George and Matilda Stone. According to his accounts, he stated upon their arrival the area was mostly desolate with an occasional longhouse to indicate the presence of a settler. During the Civil War, portions of the present day park were used to house newly enlisted soldiers in part due to the abundant fresh water springs that could supply the large amount of men present. Around the turn of the century, the family left the Stone family and the land was split up.
In 1930, the land was acquired by the state and converted to its present form with the ponds in order to raise fish for sport fishing. Beautification works also ensue through WPA projects. In the 1960s, the park was handed over to the county, whose maintains it to this day.
The posted coordinates will bring you to a commemorative marker. To find this cache, go to the following: N 41° 55.DD2 W84° 36.D[A+B]H
- Year David Stone was Born: ABCD
- Year David Stone Died: EFGH
Historical Images and Source Data gathered from:
• History of Hillsdale County, Michigan, with illustrations, 1879
• 150 years in the Hills and Dales, 1976
• Hillsdale County Historical Society