Historical Sidney, Ohio USA
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
The west-central Ohio city of Sidney was founded in 1819 when a 70 acre parcel of land was donated by local pioneer and farmer Charles Starett. Named after Sir Philip Sidney, an 18th century English soldier, statesmen, patriot, writer and member of British Parliament, Sidney would later become the county seat of Shelby County. Connected to the Miami-Erie Canal from 1825 to 1837 and to railroads since the 1850’s, Sidney has grown into a progressive, growth-oriented community of over 20,000 population strategically located 40 miles north of Dayton (on Interstate 75), 85 miles west of Columbus, 100 miles south of Toledo and 120 miles east of Indianapolis. This four-stage cache will take you through historical Sidney with the first, second and third stages providing coordinates for each subsequent stage. Numerous virtual caches are associated with each stage along with “Benchmark” caches near Stages 1 & 3. Expect 5-10 minute travel time in a car between each stage along with enjoyable walks around each stage. The cache at Stage 4 is an ammo box. Good hunting and remember, always cache in and trash out!
Special thanks… The Bangkok Kid thanks The Shelby County Historical Society for their contributions used in the preparation of this cache.
Virtual caches near Stage #1.
N 40 16.453 W 084 09.627 The Railroad Station. Built in the early 1920’s at the same time as the Big Four Bridge a short distance to the east, this station on South Chestnut Street was used for passenger train travel from 1924 until its closing in 1966. Now only freight traffic rolls by daily which makes this a great train spotting location. And consider spotting trains from the pedestrian bridge over the tracks just west of the station (N 40 16.441 W 084 09.677). Since 1979, the station has been home of the West Central Ohio Model Railroad Club. If club members are in, you’re welcomed to drop in and see their Appalachian Mountains train layout as it snakes throughout the stations interior at eye level. Impressive!
N 40 16.445 W 084 09.614 Benchmark LA0179. Over one million geodetic control points, or benchmarks, are located all across the US as a basis for horizontal and vertical control for all the mapping done in the US. Usually bronze or aluminum disks approximately 3.5 - 4 inches in diameter, benchmarks have been set in rock or permanent structures by surveyors since 1879 and logged with the National Geodetic Survey (NGS). “Y26” and “1934” are stamped onto LA0179. NGS cites the altitude for LA0179 as 1024.05 feet above sea level. This will be helpful for calibrating your GPS device if it has an altimeter feature. For more information about benchmarks and your opportunity to log them, visit www.geocaching.com/mark/.
Virtual caches near Stage #2.
N 40 16.287 W 084 09.234 Roadside Park. The parking lot here at one of Sidney’s 14 neighborhood parks offers a place to park your car as you look for the second stage marker (providing coordinates to the third stage).
N 40 16.399 W 084 09.284 Graceland Cemetery. On the other side of County Road 25A across from Roadside Park is this early Sidney and Shelby County cemetery founded in 1867. Take a stroll through the 112 acres of this park-like setting and visit the final resting place of Charles Starrett (N 40 16.301 W 084 09.346). Although it was a noble gesture on the part of Charles Starrett to donate 70 acres for the establishment of a new town later to be named Sidney, Ohio, it was also a shrewd business plan since land cultivating corn fetched a price of $8 an acre in 1820 (a 70 acre sale would realize $560), while Charles Starrett’s share from the sale of lots brought him more than $3000.
N 40 16.439 W 084 09.267 The Big Four Bridge. This railroad bridge has been a Sidney landmark just north of Roadside Park since construction began in 1922 by the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad(thus the Big Four Railroad). Train traffic across the bridge began in November, 1924 providing the Big Four Railroad line with an east-west line through Shelby County. The line now belongs to and is used regularly by the CSX railroad. If you stick around a little bit, you’re bound to see a train cross the bridge About 30 trains do each day. Impressive!
N 40 16.185 W 084 08.807 The Children’s Home. Completed in 1897 on a hillside overlooking the Great Miami River and the city of Sidney east of the Roadside Park, this stately old building (now closed) was the home for over 800 orphans during the 79 years the home was in operation. Flanking both sides of the home and connected by tunnels were dormitories (since demolished) for girls and boys.
Virtual caches near Stage #3.
N 40 17.218 W 084 09.323 Shelby County Historical Society. Completed in 1902, the two-story frame colonial style William A. Ross, Jr., Historical Center was originally the home of industrialist William Haslup, one of Sidney’s implement manufacturers. Visitors from outside the area and locals alike will enjoy the exhibits on year round display. The Center also features an impressive research center with computer access to a variety of local history information, photos and stories. You can visit their website at www.shelbycountyhistory.org (The Bangkok Kid thanks the SCHS for their help in the preparation of this cache and invites you to visit. Operating hours are Monday through Friday, 1 to 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., closed Sunday and holidays.)
N 40 17.201 W 084 09.411 Benchmark LA0165. Adjacent to the Sidney Post Office half a block west of the William A. Ross, Jr., Historical Center is this 1935 benchmark.
N 40 17.119 W 084 09.349 Shelby County Courthouse. Located a block south from the Post Office is this “Great American Public Places” designated centerpiece of downtown Sidney completed in 1883 at a cost of nearly $200,000. Built in the historic French Second Empire style, the courthouse is composed of four symmetrical sides with projecting pavilions at the entries and a classical mansard roof. It features a 170 foot center tower of galvanized iron with four clocks.
N 40 17.070 W 084 09.405 Monument Building. Ohio’s first veterans’ hall, it was completed in 1876 and dedicated to Shelby County veterans of the Civil War. This building formally housed town and township offices, the municipal court, a horse-drawn fire department, police department, waterworks office, library and post office. The third floor also included an opera house where traveling troupes of the day performed. The gabled center pediment of the facade contains a niche holding the bronze “Soldier in Blue” installed in 1900. The “Heroes Tablet” can be seen through the street level windows on the Ohio Street side of the building. Today, the Veterans Services Commission occupies the first floor. The second and third floors are used by the municipal court.
N 40 17.145 W 084 09.408 The Purity. This three-story building that was constructed in the 1850’s. At the turn of the century, the Purity Candy Kitchen had its retail store in the building. In the ensuing years, it was the local ice cream parlor and hangout for young and old folks for decades. The confectionery closed its doors for good in 1967.
N 40 17.145 W 084 09.387 Carey’s Hall John W. Carey, noted builder and businessman, constructed this three-story, five-bay commercial building in 1854. In the early 1870s, this building was offered as first prize in a lottery to raise money for the construction of the Monumental Building. It was later known as the Thompson Building, so named for the winners of that lottery. An inset marble plaque on the first level of the west side (Ohio Avenue) reads “Post No Bills Here.” Prior to newspaper, radio, and TV, the primary means of advertising was via printed handbills. Ads were literally plastered everywhere. Mr. Carey was apparently trying to prevent those unsightly hand bills from being plastered all over his new building.
N 40 17.142 W 084 09.360 Bank 1915. The original three-story, Neo-Classical Revival one-bay building was destroyed by fire in 1914. The facility was immediately reconstructed on the same site and the First National Exchange Bank re-opened for business in 1916. In 1975, the bank moved to the south side of the square. Later in the 70s, this facility was operated as a discotheque called "The Bank." Today, it is used by two local businesses.
N 40 17.150 W 084 09.291 Taylor Building. Built by O.J. Taylor in 1874 in the French Second Empire style, the basement and first floor levels were designed for businesses, the second floor outfitted for offices and the third floor lavishly finished as an immense auditorium/opera hall with a seating capacity of 1,000. Many local residents still refer to this structure as the ‘K of C’ building harkening back to the days when the Knights of Columbus met regularly on the third floor. Today, only the first floor is still used commercially.
N 40 17.094 W 084 09.295 The Piper Building. It was built by William Piper in 1886 to house a grocery, pork and wool business. Another build located immediately north at 120-122 S. Main, was constructed by William’s brother Samuel in 1893. The building replaced an earlier family grocery and bakery on the site. It was demolished in 2006.
N 40 17.054 W 084 09.291 Old Jail. In 1875, the Victorian Italianate jail was built at a cost of $38,600. It was designed for two uses; the front portion would serve as the sheriff’s residence and the rear cell block as a jailhouse. The jail was closed in 1994 when a new jail was completed down the hill from the Children’s Home on Gearhart Road.
N 40 17.060 W 084 09.310 Cook’s Building. Now the offices for the Shelby County Commissioners, this two-story, three-bay brick building built in 1853 and is Sidney’s finest example of Greek Revival architecture. For a number of years ending in the 1970’s Montgomery Wards did business out of this building.
N 40 17.060 W 084 09.383 Peoples Federal Savings & Loan Association. Completed in 1917 at a cost of $85,000, this Sidney landmark was designed by famed architect Louis H. Sullivan who is regarded as one of America’s greatest architects. This building is considered to be one of Sullivan’s finest works and is his only unaltered bank building remaining in Ohio. It was designated an Historical Ohio Building in 1965 and National Historical Landmark in 1978.
N 40 17.059 W 084 09.406 The Spot Restaurant. An eatery first began at this location in 1907 when Spot Miller parked a chuck wagon on the corner. The current building, still saying "Cook’s Spot” on the sides was built in 1941. This facility is a fine example of the streamlined Art Moderne style with its smooth, unornamented wall surface faced with gleaming white porcelain tile. If you have time, stop in for a piece of their famous Old Fashioned Cream pie.
Virtual caches near Stage #4.
N 40 17.260 W 084 08.604 Tawawa Civic Park. Dedicated in 1956 with Ohio governor Frank Lausche as a guest speaker, this 80 acre park is the centerpiece of Sidney’s park system. The main road through the park was once the east-west rail bed for the Big Four Railroad before the railroad abandoned the tracks in favor of a route through Sidney further south. The park is closed to vehicular traffic from November 1 to the third Saturday in April. However, pedestrian traffic through the park is welcomed year round from dawn to dusk.
N 40 17.220 W 084 08.099 The Big Rock. This huge glacial deposit was discovered in the mid 1850’s by railroad workers building the first railroad through Sidney. Deposited there 16,000 years ago during the last ice age, it’s estimated by geologists to have come from the Hudson Bay area of eastern Canada and that it took several million years to transport this 103 ton, 44ft. circumference rock to it’s Sidney resting place. During a break in the construction of the Monumental Building in downtown Sidney, some stone masons celebrated America’s centennial year and handed down their names to posterity by inscribing their names along with the national emblem and the year “1876” on the top of the rock. Climb up and you’ll see their work is still visible. A sign along the main road through Tawawa Park points to the location of the Big Rock.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
[Stage #1] Nobhg snpr sebz gur orapuznex gura 40 cnprf gb n cbjre cbyr - ng rlr yriry.
[Stage #2] Ntnva ng rlr yriry nybat gur cngu ol gur cbaq.
[Stage #3] Gur yvggyrfg cyndhr arkg gb gur sebag qbbe.
[Stage #4] Sebz n ynetr vzzbinoyr bowrpg, 30-40 cnprf hc gur svefg cneg bs n genvy gura orne evtug gb n orq bs ebpxf.