The "Lone Cypress"
Florida Cypress Trees
There are two varieties of cypress commonly found throughout the Southeast: bald cypress and pond cypress. Both are deciduous conifers, shedding their leaves and cones in the fall, and both are known for their tolerance of wet sites and their root outgrowths known as "knees."
Bald cypress trees can live for hundreds of years, growing up to 150 feet in height. Pond cypress trees generally do not reach the massive size of bald cypress and have thicker, shaggier bark.
Cypress trees are ideal for landscapes that experience flooding with water up to several feet deep, but can also be grown in drier areas. The "knees" that are so closely associated with cypress are less likely to appear with trees planted on drier sites.
At the posted coordinates, you will find a historic marker sign about the "Lone Cypress", a tree with historical significance in this sleepy little town. You will need to use information from the sign to figure out the final coordinates to the geocache.
Your are solving for: N 26° A.BCD W 081° 0E.FGH
A = The last two digits of the year Florida received title to all swamp and overflowed lands within its borders - minus 1
B = The 3rd digit of the year Florida became a state.
C = The number of letters in the name of the lake mentioned on the sign - minus 6.
D = The number of letters in the name of the river/canal mentioned in the sign - minus 11.
E = The last digit of the year Florida became a state.
F = The number of letters in the first name of the wealthy northerner the state convinced to drain the Everglades.
G = The number of letters in the last name of the wealthy northerner the state convinced to drain the Everglades - minus 4.
H = The last digit of the year Florida received title to all swamp and overflowed lands within its borders.
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