I planned on making this a regular Wherigo with stops in History Park signs of 3 businesses that once thrived in San Jose, but are now only memories and a final physical cache just outside the History Park. Unfortunately, the only Wherigo builder that I can access does not appear to be functioning, so I decided to make this a Reverse Wherigo for the final with now 3 optional (but I hope interesting) stops within History Park that will kind of lead you toward the final. The posted coordinates will take you to the first stop. Waypoints are included here for the next 2 stops. The Reverse Wherigo information is below the descriptions of these 3 stops.
Stop one, "can I get a ride?"
Dashaway Stables was one of three branches in San José owned by the Lick Livery and Hack Company. Built in 1888 at 130 South 2nd Street by Frederick Tennant and William Connell, Dashaway Stables held horses and carriages, commonly called “hacks.” San Joséans could rent carriages, similar to renting a car, or pay to have someone drive them on an excursion, similar to a taxi or limousine service. In addition, a livery such as Dashaway Stables was a place where people paid to have their horses fed and stabled.
The original stables was destroyed in 1928 for unknown reasons. This replica of the stables was dedicated in 1975. It is the full width of the original, but only one-third the depth.
Stop two, "can you help me fix this?"
Orchard Supply was formed in 1931 as the Orchard Supply Farmers Co-op by 30 farmers, consisting mostly of orchardists and fruit tree ranchers who banded together to form a cooperative to buy essential farm supplies. Operations started in a rented warehouse at 230 Bassett St. In spite of the Great Depression the cooperative was successful. In 1933 the co-op had moved to a larger location at 44 Vine St., and again in 1946 a site at 720 West San Carlos St.
By 1950 the electronics industry began booming in the Santa Clara Valley, and with it came an abundance of new home owners in the Bay Area. The orchards gradually became residential neighborhoods, and the "Orchard Supply Farmers Co-op" became a for-profit corporation, "Orchard Supply Hardware" (OSH) retail stores.
The company continued as a private company until 1979. After in various forms of ownership by larger companies, OSH closed for good in 2018.
Fun Boxcar Fact: In the early 1960s, the City of San Jose denied Al Smith permission to install a sign along Auzerais Street to promote his Orchard Supply Hardware store because a sign for the store already existed facing San Carlos Street. Undeterred, Smith bought a railroad boxcar from Southern Pacific, painted the car with the OSH logo, and placed it at the end of the spur track behind his store and alongside Auzerais Street. It remained in that spot for nearly 50 years, and was occasionally featured in OSH's promotional material.
Stop three, "can I get a bite?"
In 1942, the son of an Italian immigrant named Stephen Pizzo opened a new meat market on Bird Road in San Jose. When he opened his new Stephen’s Meat Products in 1948 at 81 Montgomery Street, he marked it with this whimsical “Dancing Pig” neon sign.
Now for the cache. If you continue from Stop three out to the History Park exit toward the Japanese Tea Garden, you will be quite close to the cache. To find the location you will need to load the Reverse Wherigo cartridge. The cartridge is available to download here (R-WIG Cartridge). Your task is to find the cache by periodically querying your Reverse Cache Box for the distance to the final location. All instructions and necessary information needed to complete the cartridge is contained within it.
You will be asked to enter the following 3 numbers:
113398
535878
200221
The cache is a largish bison-type tube in camo.