Slag Pile Traditional Cache

This cache is located in Portland Riverfront Park. When I first came to this area the riverfront in Portland was heavily industrial and what few natural areas there were full of junk and litter. Through the activities of the Town of Portland and The Brownstone Quorom (a private nonprofit orhanization) this area of the riverfront is being rehabilitated as a recreation area.

This area was home to one of Connecticuts largest brownstone quarries. A quarry of modest size still operates in the vicinity of the park. The area of the park was used as a slag pile for rejected brownstone, enough to form a man made hill some 70 feet high and 2000 feet long. This area was abandon in 1936 when all major quarry operations were terminated after a major flood. The land was unused for decades turning into an area littered with refuse and abandon vehicles. In the late 1980's a proposal to connect the quarry to the Connecticut River and turn it into a marina was approved by the town but never acted on and the area continued to accumulate more trash. Modest quarrying operations have resumed in the area recently. In 1999 and 2000 the Town of Portland purchased the area of the quarries and the slag pile to the north. Since that time efforts have been underway to clean up the area and make the quarries and the riverfront an area for the enjoyment of the local residents and regional tourists. Several hiking trails and recreational areas have been established. Still, much work needs to be done and there is still evidence of 70 years of negelect.

Access to the park is best had by taking Silver Street west from Route 66 to Brownstone Ave. and proceeding north to the park. Parking is available at N 41 34.719, W 072 38.549. Trail maps are posted and usually available for hikers to take with them. The cache is placed at a point in the northern end of the park with a scenic view of the Connecticut River. Be sure to stop either on your way in or way out and visit the Site of the original North Quarry at N 41 34.500, W 072 38.729 with its towering brownstone walls and 40 foot deep water filled base. In the park at these coordinates one can see the original stairway for the workers to descend into the quarry which now descends into the water and disappears into the depths.

The cache is a medium sized ammo box that initially contains a Mini MagLite, a Geocaching.com compass, a Dora the Explorer action figure, a stuffed Thing 1 figure, and my signature paramedic shears. A log book and pen are also there.

For the First Finder there are two (2) unactivated Travel Bug Tags.

The cache originally contained some garbage bags but I filled those up on my way in to hide the cache. More bags will be left when I come by next.