"Soldiers Circle" Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Level ground, but cemeteries can be muddy at times. Good shoes never hurt.
Greenlawn Cemetery is one of the more unique old cemeteries left in Ohio... It incorporates several smaller cemeteries and covers about 40 acres within the City of Portsmouth...It encompasses a tribute to Civil War Veterans, a Champion Tree and a National Historic Registery Chapel...Many notable politicians, pioneers and sporting professionals have a final resting place here... Located in Greenlawn is one of Ohio's 11 National Champion trees... A Champion Persimmon Tree that boasts a Circumference of 142; a Heighth of 82 and a Crown of 58 for a total of 239 Points... Greenlawn Cemetery Chapel, also known as the Old Stone Chapel, is listed on the National Historic Registry of Places... Recently restored by the Scioto County Historial Society, the historical significance is it's Architecture and Engineering... The "Gothic" Sytle Architecture lists a period of signficance from 1875 to 1899... It's historical function is listed as "Religious" on the National Registry...Services were held in the chapel prior to burials here from the mid 1800's thru the early 1900's... Soldiers Circle is dedicated to the those who served in the Union Army during the Civil War... A Union General Statue marks the center of this tribute... The sacrifices made to preserve the Union are clearly evident here where the graves of many Civil War Veterans are located...Many are from Battery L that made a valiant stand on Little Round Top during the Battle of Gettysburg... This battle can be seen in pictoral form at the Portsmouth Murals along the flood wall downtown... Others buried in this solemn place served in artillery, infantry and cavalry divisions... President Abraham Lincoln said these immortal words that are so appropriate as one stands here... "It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this Nation, under God shall have a new birth in freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth." Greenlawn Cemetery was laid out in 1829 by City Council when repeated flooding of the first graveyard in Portsmouth along the east banks of the Scioto River convinced them to purchase land elsewhere...Sections were added a few acres at a time until the present size was attained... Most of the bodies were moved from the old graveyeard to Greenlawn in 1830... Pioneer settlers are buried here, politicians from the 1800's to present day, and, former Professional Baseball Players from an era gone by... Harry Blake was born on June 16, 1874 in Portsmouth... He was 20 years old when he broke into the big leagues on July 7, 1894 with the Cleveland Spiders... Batting in the 300's most of his career which saw him play virtually every position except pitcher... He ended his career with the St. Louis Perfectos in 1900... He passed away on October 14, 1919 and was laid to rest here in Greenlawn... Pinky Swander was born on July 4 1880 here in Portsmouth...He was 23 years old when he broke into the big leagues in September 1903 with the St. Louis Browns...He passed away on October 24, 1944 and was laid to rest here... Also here is Al Bridwell, a shortstop for the New York Giants from 1908-1911...Bridwell, of Portsmouth, was 85 when he passed away... He was the batter for the Giants on a play that lost them the pennant in 1908...He hit a single to right centerfield at the Polo Grounds with Fred Merkle on base... Merkle failed to touch third base in his dash toward home plate and the Giants lost the vital game...The incident is known in baseball lore as the Merkle "boner"... His official Baseball Card is attached... Spend an hour here just taking in some of the rich history and grandeur in this place... You will find the hide near the Soldiers Circle... The Cache is a camouflaged medium size pill bottle with a log book...
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Lbh jvyy arrq gb or "fgrnygul" jura lbh ner ybbxvat sbe "Fgrnuyl". Gur ohfu vfa'g sne bapr lbh svaq gurz.