AT MCKINNEY, AT THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, AT THE SOUTH ENTRANCE, IN THE TOP OF THE CONCRETE ABUTMENT, AND AT THE SIDE OF A STEP.
That is the description of Q264, a benchmark placed during the Roosevelt Administration by the National Geodetic Survey. Benchmarks have been used to aid in the creation of maps and navigating for more than a century. Up until Jan. 2023, you could go through the NGS database through the geocaching website and log them online. Benchmarks are typically large buildings or watertowers, on old buildings like this, or out in the woods near railroad tracks. I enjoy benchmarking because of the unique historical significance and the places they take me to. To read more, I penned a lenghy rant supporting Groundspeak's decision to retire and delete the antiquated side project off the site.
That won't stop me from hiding caches in proximity to these disks! The cache is not at GZ, Q264 is. To find the final coordinates, find the year stamped onto the disk. If you can't see it, just use the description when you get to the posted coordinates!
1933= N 33° 11.810' W 96° 36.952'
1934= N 33° 11.850' W 96° 36.936'
1935= N 33° 11.717' W 96° 36.837'
The final cache is a short walk away from GZ. In fact, it was only 28 of my strides away from the benchmark disk. So you can either get the coordinates to make sure, or try to just "gonzo" it by counting out your own steps. Either way, you will need stealth to find this cache because its a very bust area. Pretending to tie your shoes may be your best cover here. The container may not seem like its closing all the way with the lid, but it is secure. I placed this cache while looking for my 1,000 find in Collin County and it is my 100th hide. Both of these milestones mean a lot to me, so I wanted this hide to be meaningful.
While the County has moved its offices elsewhere for decades, the square in McKinney reflected the changes Collin County has seen in the past two decades.