***Note*** Based on feedback, the final coordinates were adjusted on 4/19/03 to more accurately identify the hiding spot.
If you enjoy caches that take you to interesting but little known places, this cache is for you. It is located at what is officially named “Old Colored People’s Cemetery”. The cemetery had not been kept up until the 1999 – 2000 3rd and 4th grade classes at S. Ellen Jones Elementary School in New Albany undertook a project to clean up the cemetery. The students renamed it Freedomland Cemetery.
The long neglected site is the burial place for as many as 300 colored people, buried here between 1854 and 1915. Records are poor. Nine stones have been found. Four of the headstones are legible. A good number of the people buried here were slaves who escaped from the south via the Underground Railroad. Many of them succumbed to illness or injuries sustained as they fled the south during the Civil War. A number of Indiana’s black pioneers are buried here too.
I heard about the class project in early 2000. I saw people cleaning the area along Paoli Pike. A new headstone, flagpole, and landscaping was put in. As I started researching a little, I found there was more than meets the eye as you drive by on Paoli Pike. You will need to find the cache to see what I am talking about.
In December 2000, the school was presented with the Aspire Peacemaker Award. The Louisville Courier-Journal and the Indianapolis Star had articles about the project.
It is best to approach this location from the south. For those unfamiliar with the area, take the State St exit off I-265 and go up the hill. State St turns into Paoli Pike north of the interstate. As you past Stone Ridge apartments, Paoli Pike will curve to the right. Be prepared to pull off into an adequate but small parking area on the right as you go around the curve. Walk down the gravel road to the cemetery.
Find a headstone for Hezakiah Rickman located at the coordinates. Hezakiah died on April AB, CDEF at the age of GH years, I months, J days.
April ____, ________ Age ____ years, __ months, __ days.
K = B + E
L = E - G
M = B + F
P = I + F
Q = B + E
R = A - G
Substitute the numbers above for the letters below to find the coordinates of the final cache.
N BD AK.FRH W DM PG.FIF
N ____ ____.__________ W ____ ____.________
The final cache is a very well hidden ammo box containing patriotic items and a first finder prize. Kids have been seen playing in this area. Please make sure it is hidden as well when you leave.
Many of these people died trying to reach the freedom that we have today. Please trade items that are patriotic, represent our freedoms, or used to celebrate our freedom (no fireworks please).