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John Gray House Multi-Cache

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2gether: Cache missing. I am no longer geocaching.

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Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:


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 Kid Friendly A good cache for your lunchtime Lunchtime Cache Restricted hours Restricted hours
Muggles Beware of Muggles! Pencil Bring a pen Historic Site Historic Site
Geocachers of West Tennessee

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