---Welcome to Holland's Second Ever Virtual Cache---
Quick description: Post a creative photo of you interacting with one of the whimsical statues here. Be creative, have fun - let your inner child out! If you do not want to appear in the photo - as a less fun, boring, alternative task, you may post a photo of a piece of paper with your geocaching name and the date of your visit taken with one of the statues. The photo needs to be posted with your found it log. Do not use the Geocaching message function to send your photo to the CO. It must be posted with your log.
About Virtual Caches:
There is NO PHYSICAL CONTAINER to find at this location. A virtual cache emphasizes an experience and requires finders to complete some sort of learning task or observation at a location where a physical container could be ineffective, inappropriate, or illegal. A "found it" log on this cache requires a qualifying photo with one of the statues at GZ. That's it - just post a photo that meets the requirements with your found it log.
The Why:
Almost everyone knows the story The Wizard of Oz: a small-town Kanas girl, magic slippers, witches...What a lot of people don't know is the connection this story has to the Holland area. There are several interesting references to The Wizard of Oz around town that this virtual cache will be highlighting. Long before Dorothy Gale began her journey down the yellow brick road, L. Frank Baum was a regular visitor to the Holland area.
Using money he earned after success in children's literature, L. Frank Baum rented a Victorian home on Lake Macatawa named The Sign of the Goose. He adored the Holland area so dearly that he eventually purchased the home, though it no longer stands today. It is during these visits where much of his inspiration for his story would ultimately be derived. While mainstream media reports that The Wizard of Oz was penned in Chicago, Baum's grandson Bob is on record having provided many examples of how the small Macatawa community aided inspiration to the story. In addition, he is quite certain that the work was actively being penned from the porch of The Sign of the Goose.
It's not hard to draw similarities from Dorothy's journey through rolling hills and thick groves of trees to some of the hiking areas on the west side of Holland. It is said freshly fallen golden leaves inspired Baum's creation of the yellow brick road. More interestingly, located just two miles from his former home, is the Victorian-era Schwartz Castle, now known as Castle Park. One visit to this site and it's easy to tell that this castle inspired Baum's creation of the Wicked Witch's castle. Since so much of the lakeshore area was undeveloped at the time, coming upon this castle for the first time almost certainly gave him a scare.
In addition to physical similarities, there are also character similarities as well. Baum was quite popular in the town; especially with the children. His Macatawa home was stocked full of his stories, and his doors were open to all. The folks of the Macatawa area left such an impression that he penned a novel titled Tamawaca Folks (Tamawaca being an anagram for Macatawa). It isn't hard to fathom that his affinity towards children could lead him to create the Ozian Munchkins, or that a quirky, scatterbrained townsperson could have inspired the Scarecrow.
To commemorate the importance and preserve the legacy of Baum, there are many tributes to Baum across Holland. The newest of which is located here at the posted coordinates. This is the only location you are required to visit, though I've added waypoints for some of the locations cited earlier if you're interested in seeing some of the history.
At this location, a series of art installations play a whimsical tribute to The Wizard of Oz and its important connection to the city of Holland. Alongside the library, following the famous yellow brick road, you'll find the characters of the beloved book have suddenly become life-size. Dorothy, Toto, a Munchkin, The Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion are present along with the Wicked Witch, a Fighting Tree, and even a Flying Monkey. Diagonally across the street, there is an informational plaque about Baum's history in Holland. Seasonally, a living version of The Wizard of Oz is available (in the winter, it is stored offsite in a greenhouse).
At two other locations (waypoints provided), the city of Holland has paid tribute to Baum with two murals, both of impressive size and detail. Visiting these murals, while not required, hammers home just how tightly Baum's legacy is woven into Holland's culture and history. You are welcome to post photos at any of these sites in addition to (but not in lieu of) the listed requirements.
As a reminder, there is no physical container to find here. A virtual cache is about the unique experience available where a physical cache could be considered ineffective, inappropriate, or illegal.
The How:
To claim credit for this virtual cache you must include a photo that meets one of these two requirements with your log:
ACCEPTABLE PHOTO OPTIONS ARE EITHER:
1. THE SIMPLE WAY: Post a photo of you with one of the statues next to the library. I'd encourage you to have fun, be silly, and let your inner child out. This is a unique area, so make it an unique experience!
2. THE "I DON'T WANT TO BE IN THE PHOTO" / COMPLICATED WAY: Per HQ requirements, an alternative to a "selfie" must be permitted. In lieu of posting a selfie, you may post a photo of a piece of paper (I don't care if it's a receipt, a notecard, or napkin from your car) that has your geocaching name written on it along with the date of your visit TAKEN WITH one of the statues described above. (One of the statues MUST BE VISIBLE). I do not want to see a "thumbs up", your car keys, your shoes, or your trackable.
The point of the photo is to confirm YOUR visit, but also to prevent future finders from pilfering your image to claim a bogus smiley on this cache. Group photos are fine, just let me know who is in the photo. Following the Geocaching guidelines, you must visit this location on or after the date of publication. Armchair logs will be deleted without notice following the Geocaching Virtual Cache guidelines (rule 2.8).
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Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.