Good night John-boy, good night Mary Ellen… Traditional Cache
Good night John-boy, good night Mary Ellen…
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This traditional geocache is located in the community of Caledonia Mills, Antigonish County near the border with Guysborough County. The cache location has been a focal point of local folklore since 1922.
The ‘happenings’ of Caledonia Mills have been well documented in newspapers, books and local archives. There has been much that has happened to keep this story alive for more than 84 years. It is the unexplained and imagined that perpetuates this tale and makes it most disturbing.
Now you have a chance to write your chapter in this tale, by placing yourself next to the remains of the home of the Fire Spook of Caledonia Mills. This location is the site of one of the world’s premier unexplained, supernatural events. Through research and local interviews, Mac23 and I have been able to pinpoint the former MacDonald farm and place a geocache nearby.
So, what is the tale of Mary Ellen MacDonald? In addition to the many, previous, troublesome occurrences on their farm; Alex, Janet MacDonald and their foster daughter Mary Ellen went through a harrowing night in January 1922; when they were beset by 38 fires within their home. The fires appeared not to have a usual point of ignition and were said to burn blue flame. The MacDonald’s abandoned their home that night.
The events leading up to that night were extensively investigated by legal and paranormal experts without a definitive conclusion. At one point in the investigation, a participant exhibited ‘automatic writing’ controlled by an external force; the results of which are reported to give an explanation for the events.
Park at the end of the lane at N 45’ 28.153 W 61’ 46.874 and proceed 1 km to the cache at N 45’ 27.636 W 61’ 47.228. You can see the depression (the cellar) where the house once stood at N 45’ 27.645 W 61’ 47.179 and the foundation stones of the barn at N 45’ 27.626 W 61’ 47.215.
The cache originally contained fear, cold sweat, eye of newt… no not really… the actual items of the cache are a pewter fairy, a blue LED glo-stick, hand warmers, rubber grasshopper, hobby glue gun and glue sticks, a moon and star stamp, Rolling Stones 45rpm record “Brown Sugar”, Crayola erasable colour pencils, a ‘geocaching resource’ CD and a selection of stickers.
Sign the log for credit, no automatic writing please.
The Fire-Spook of Caledonia Mills by N. Carroll MacIntyre, in its third printing, is a good representation of the events that took place in the winter of 1922. I have placed a copy of the book in the cache for the ‘first to find’… if there is a ‘first to find’ or you may choose the geocaching resource CD as FTF.
Only remove items from the cache; those who have removed artifacts from the site such as stones, bricks, and fragments of wood have experienced ‘uneasy’ consequences.
This cache narrative makes the ‘Blair Witch Project’ look like a summer, campfire ghost story. It is certainly a test of strength to seek this cache, even more so if done at night. Try not to keep looking behind as you make your way back to the road.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Gur pnpur vf arkg gb gur jvgarffrf bs gung avtug va 1922, gur sbhe oner svatref.
Treasures
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