Don't be tempted to bushwhack!
Visitors to The Quarry are always asking, “what was the original use for the quarry and when was it active?” Well, we recently learned some pretty cool history about that little hole in the ground.
The land the quarry is located on was once the Beecher Farm. Dr. George Beecher was a member of what we know today as St. George’s Episcopal Church.
In 1868, after meeting at various locations around Griffin, the members decided it was time to build their own sanctuary. A member of the building committee, Dr. Beecher offered up his land for the quarrying of the stone. According to church records the cornerstone was laid in 1869 and services were held in the new building in 1871. The church has been in active use since that time, and still stands today at 132 N. 10th Street. ( N 33° 13.977 W 084° 16.119)
There is some mystery as to the markings on the original cornerstone which includes the numerals 264. A commemorative stone was laid in 1988 to recognize the church’s 100th anniversary as a consecrated parish of the Episcopal Church.
Quarry’s Edge Park is 130 acres of wooded land located in the “middle of the city.”
Phase 1 features over four miles of mountain bike trails, hiking trails, a restroom/pavilion, a NERF-soft dart war zone, a parking area, a bike washing station, a bike repair station, kiosks, emergency weather covers, signage, and landscaping.
The park was made possible through DNR/RTP grant funds, Spalding County Impact Fees, and invested partnerships with Atlanta MTB/SORBA. The mountain bike group has work days and would welcome help on their work days. To keep up with the opportunities follow along at: https://www.griffinchamber.com/events/quarrys-edge-park-workday
Now having said this, what about the cache? It was a raining day with heavy cloud cover and there is tree cover in this area. Thin loose coords. This whole area has lots of signs and I stumbled upon this one. I thought it was neat and others may get a kick out of it. The cache is nearby. It is behind a fallen tree and covered with natural material. It has some swag for young and old and be sure if you take a piece replace with something. There is not a pen inside so be sure to bring your own.