BACKGROUND:
Kentucky native John E. Gray migrated to Tennessee sometime
during the 1830s, and had settled in Shelby County by the 1840s.
Through a series of land transactions, he became the first
documented owner of a somewhat unusual brick home. Gray went on to
become a leading figure in the Morning Sun community, and with the
help of slave labor he farmed mainly Indian corn and some
cotton.
The small two-room floor plan is a vernacular architectural
configuration of eastern seaboard derivation known as hall and
parlor that included an attic loft. Although this plan type was
apparently uncommon in West Tennessee, incoming settlers from the
Piedmont region are known to have established similar farmsteads
across the state.
Unoccupied for nearly thirty years, vandalized, deteriorating,
and slated for demolition by a state road-widening project, the
home seemed destined for oblivion. Fortunately, a collection of
heritage groups, preservation specialists, and concerned citizens
acted collectively to save the house and salvage both prehistoric
and historic artifacts from the original site.
Finally, in December 1989, following lengthy research and
planning efforts — and seven nerve-wracking hours of flatbed truck
relocation — the 32-ton, 578 square-foot structure rolled to its
present home in Germantown's Municipal Park.
THE CACHE:
This three-stage multicache will begin at the listed
coordinates, which will lead you to a historical marker just
outside the John Gray House. (The park is open from 5am to 11pm, so
plan your hunt accordingly). Locate the first year mentioned on
this marker; these four digits will serve as the variables
ABCD.
To continue, you will now travel 190 feet on a bearing of 140°
True, where you will discover another metal plaque bearing two
dates. The first digit of the first year mentioned will become the
variable E. The single-digit day of the month included in
the second date mentioned will serve as the variable F.
To locate the cache container, simply insert these variables
into the appropriate slots below:
N35° 05.BAC
W89° 48.EFD
You'll be looking for a camouflaged pill bottle holding a
logscroll and a few small trade items. Bring your own pen to sign
the log, and watch out for curious muggles as you retrieve and
replace the container. Have fun!
Kid Friendly
Lunchtime Cache Restricted hours
Beware of Muggles!
Bring a pen Historic Site
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