The cache is not located at the posted coordinates.
This is a multi-stage puzzle letterbox cache that begins in Calvary Cemetery and ends in Bellefontaine Cemetery. The starting coordinates will take you to the entrance of Calvary Cemetery.
Calvary and Bellefontaine are active cemeteries. Please be respectful and avoid disturbing a gravesite service or family members visiting their loved ones. Cemetery hours are 8:00am to 4:00pm.
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The Nez Perce Tribe
In 1831, a generation after the Nez Perce tribe saved the Lewis and Clark expedition from starvation near present-day Idaho, four Nez Perce warriors were sent to St. Louis to find former explorer and friend of the tribe, William Clark. Traveling approximately 2,000 miles, the Nez Perce came to St. Louis seeking help -- but what kind of help no one knew. By this time, Lewis was dead, and Clark had forgotten what little he knew of the Nez Perce language. Unable to effectively communicate, the warriors were thought to be seeking "the white man's book of Heaven." Historians debate whether the tribe wanted to learn about the Bible, or simply learn how to communicate with written words.
After meeting with Clark, two of the Nez Perce warriors became sick and died in St. Louis within a month of their arrival. The other two began the journey back empty-handed, but they both died before reaching home.
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Honoring the Warriors
To answer questions A and B, proceed to the Nez Perce Memorial in Calvary Cemetery (N 38° 42.340, W 090° 14.126). In 2000 the remains of Black Eagle and Speaking Eagle, who had died in St. Louis, were traced to this mass grave site. The Nez Perce tribe dedicated the sculpture, you see here, to the memory of all four of their warriors. On March 29, 2003, members of the tribe held a traditional pipe ceremony at the gravesite. Two riderless horses circled the monument three times, and water from the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers and dirt from Nez Perce country were sprinkled on the ground.
You will need the following information to answer A and B.
What symbols are engraved on top of the base of the Nez Perce Memorial?
If the symbols are a cross and praying hands, then A = 8.
If the symbols are a fleur-de-lis and a river, then A = 5.
If the symbols are a sunset and a horse and rider, then A= 3.
There are two other large monuments on this lot. The one to the northeast is engraved with a Bible verse. Which verse is it?
If it is John Chapter 3, Verse 16, then B = 61.
If it is Luke Chapter 10, Verse 20, then B = 42.
If it is Romans Chapter 3, Verse 23, then B = 12.
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Seeking Clark
To answer C and D, you will need to visit William Clark's memorial in nearby Bellefontaine Cemetery. Driving directions: Exit Calvary Cemetery, turning left onto West Florissant Avenue. Drive .3 mile and turn left into Bellefontaine Cemetery. Proceed to William Clark’s memorial (N 38° 41.908, W 090° 13.784). You will need information from this monument to answer C and D.
The bust of William Clark is engraved with the maker's information. Where and when was the bust created?
If the bust was created in Austria in 1904, then C = 9.
If the bust was created in France in 1900, then C = 7.
If the bust was created in New York in 1903, then C = 8.
On the back of Clark's obelisk is engraved a Bible verse. Which book of the Bible is it taken from?
If it is from Deuteronomy, then D = 30.
If it is from Isaiah, then D = 73.
If it is from Leviticus, then D = 99.
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FINAL
The final is located in Bellefontaine Cemetery. To find the cache, substitute the values for A, B, C and D into these coordinates:
N 38° 41.AB W 90° 13.CD
We ask you to please observe these cemetery etiquette guidelines.
Calvary Cemetery:
· The cemetery is a sacred place and is due all the honor and respect given to a church building itself. Unbecoming behavior, dress and language are not to be tolerated.
· Picnicking, or similar gatherings, are inappropriate for the sacred character of the cemetery grounds.
· This is an active cemetery; avoid disturbing a gravesite or chapel service and family members that are visiting their loved ones.
· No alcoholic beverages are permitted in the cemetery.
· Children under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
· Pets may not be brought into the cemetery.
· The possession of firearms on cemetery property, including the buildings, parking areas and other premises, is strictly prohibited.
· Soliciting within the cemetery is prohibited.
· Keep conversation volumes low. Be respectful. Other people in the cemetery may be upset and want a tranquil place in which to mourn and to be alone in peace.
· Keep contact to gravestones to a minimum. Do not sit on any monuments. They are meaningful to the families who placed them there. Rubbings are prohibited.
· Do not take photographs of other people or funeral activities in the cemetery. Restrict your photography to scenes of landscape, nature, and architectural elements.
· No athletic equipment of any kind is to be used on cemetery property.
· The cemetery hours are 8 am to 4 pm every day. If you do not leave the cemetery by 4 pm, the gates will be locked and you will be locked in. Please do not let this happen.
In addition, these guidelines apply to Bellefontaine Cemetery:
· Pets are welcomed but must be on a leash.
· Firearms are prohibited with the exception of the Military Honor Guard and re-enactors.
· Visitors and lot owners are requested to leave comments and inquiries at the cemetery office.
· Groups of 10 or more must register at the cemetery office before proceeding onto the grounds.
· Please do not park on a road with a white line at any time. This is the route for various tours in the cemetery and must be kept clear.
· Use common sense when walking off the roadways. Walk between the headstones and do not stand on a burial place.
· The cemetery hours are 8 am to 4 pm every day. If you do not leave the cemetery by 4 pm, the gates will be locked and you will have to call the security number on the gate and have security let you out. Please do not let this happen.
GEOCACHING BONUS
Meet Jordan Nash at N 38° 41.619 W 90° 13.682. Jordan is the son of our Missouri Reviewer Glenn and Joanne Nash. Jordan's memorial has a tracking number engraved near the bottom of his stone. You can discover this trackable number on Geocaching.com. Please do not post a picture or copy the tracking number. The family would like only people visiting the site to get the number.
We would like to thank Dan Fuller of Bellefontaine Cemetery for granting us permission to place this cache.
This is a letterbox hybrid cache. There is a self-inking stamp inside the cache. Please do not remove. No ink pad is available.
Tombstone tourist: an individual who has a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries, epitaphs, cemetery photography, funerary art, and history.