This cache was placed for Chester's 300th anniversary celebration.
Trolley Shed: In 1896, a trolley was built to create access from the center of Chester to Derry. The hardest obstacle to build around was the dip between the center of Chester (the blinking light) and the top of Bell Hill (Senator Bell Farm/Hillside Farm of Chester). A 400 foot long wooden bridge was built across this divide that was raised up to 25 feet off the ground. The total route was 7.75 miles long and the average speed of the trolley cars were slightly under 10 miles an hour.
While the trolley started delivering paying customers in Derry on August 28th, 1896, the first train to reach Chester arrived September 12th. The opening day for the trolley was September 22nd. The trip to Derry took 45 minutes, and became the prime source of transportation for Pinkerton Students and those that worked in the Derry shoe factories. A round trip fare cost $.25. Freight was also a main source of revenue for the trolley. Farmers could now send their goods to Derry and the Wilcombs could get store inventory for their general store easier.
Unfortunately, winter was not kind to the trolley and would put the trolley system out of commission for days after a nor'easter would blow through. Once the state started improving the roads in 1919, the number of customers started declining. In 1927, a trucking company started delivering freight to Chester, so that was no longer an income for the trolley. On June 4, 1928, the last trolley car ran the line.
The geocache is located at the trolley shed that has since been moved from its location at the center of town to where it is today. Please park in the furthest corner of the school parking lot (closest to the geocache), in case there is a fire call while you are looking for