Oh Lordy, Lordy! Multi-Cache

This cache has been archived.

Pioneer Poodle: Well, this was only up for a little over a month when it was muggled again. I am sorry about the 2 Travel bugs that are probably "out to sea" as well. I have remade this cache 3 times now and that is enough. Thanks to all of you who enjoyed it.

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Hidden : 9/27/2006
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

This cache is a 3 stage one that is intended to highlight the history of the Lord family in Maine. The first stage is at the back of a cemetery that dates back to before 1650. The second stage shows the power and property that the Lords had from 1881 to 1980. The third and final stage is near the lobster restaurant owned by the descendants. This cache is made as a tribute to all the fishermen, sailors and lobstermen who have gone in and out of this area.

Below is a bit of history about stage 2- if you are interested in learning even more, and about the connection between Newton, Mass. and Wells, ME here is the link.
(visit link) (visit link)
“The Kennebunk Enterprise of August 26, 1881, advertised the sale of the main farm and dwelling house, as well as 25 other parcels of land that Clark owned in Wells. Within a month, George Clement Lord, then president of the Boston & Maine Railroad, was the new owner of the major portion of the estate.
George C. Lord evidently wished to purchase a vacation home near his boyhood home. Lord was born at Kennebunk Landing in 1823, the son of ship captain and builder, George Lord. He was raised in Kennebunk and later attended Governor Dummer Academy in South Byfield, Massachusetts. At the tender age of 16, George C. Lord moved to Boston to begin a career in business. By the time he was 25, he had founded his own shipping and tugboat-building business. He made his home in the Boston suburb of Newton and married his cousin Marion Ruthven Waterston in 1866. Lord began his career at the Boston & Maine Railroad as a director in 1866. He became vice president in 1880 and president of the B&M in 1881, the same year he bought Laudholm Farm. The eight years Lord served as president was a time of tremendous growth for the railroad; the number of passengers, employees, and miles of track increased more than fivefold.
In those days Laudholm was known as the "Elms Farm." One of the privileges of being in charge of a railroad is that one can build stations for one's own convenience, and George C. Lord did just that. In 1888 the "Elms" Station opened. The station building still stands on Route 1, although it was converted to a bookstore and expanded. Mr. Lord made substantial changes to the farmhouse. He raised the roof to add a third floor to the main house and added the expansive porches all around the house. He employed a farm manager and several farmhands. He visited the "Elms" frequently until his death in Newton in 1893, when his eldest son Robert W. Lord assumed proprietorship of the farm.
Robert W. Lord was involved in the shipping business in Boston, He had taken an active interest in raising cattle at his own estate in Newton. In the 1880s, Robert travelled to the Isle of Guernsey off of Great Britain, and he brought back purebred Guernsey cattle, which formed the beginnings of the famous Laudholm herd of Guernsey cows. Like his father, Robert was a gentleman farmer, choosing to employ year-round help and travelling up from Boston in the summertime.
Many improvements were made to the farm while Robert was in charge. The old barn burned to the ground about 1905 when the wind swept a burning shingle up the pasture from a flaming house on what is now Lord Road. In its place Robert constructed the state-of-the-art Jamesway Barn that stands today. Robert also added the icehouse and water tower to the farm. On July 3, 1907, the Kennebunk Enterprise announced: "Robert W. Lord is building a garage at the Elms Farm. This was necessitated by his purchase of a magnificent automobile." That auto was a Thomas Forty. Robert died a year later at the age of 60, and his brother Charles E. Lord undertook management of the farm.
The period from about 1910 to the beginning of the Great Depression in 1929 was the heyday of Laudholm Farm. Indeed, it was shortly after Charles E. Lord became the proprietor that the farm received its present name. Charles had dubbed his estate in Newton with the name "Laudholm" some years before. After his brother's death, Charles changed the name of the farm in Wells from "Elms Farm" to "Laudholm Farm." Today there is still a Laudholm Road off Cabot Street in Newton, Massachusetts, and the house Charles lived in, Laudholm Newton, still stands.
Charles spent a great deal of time and money improving the farm. He retained his brother's interest in Guernsey cows, but he also added poultry houses and began raising chickens. Charles bought up additional land around the farm including the Hill and Wells cottages that sit at the original entrance to the farm (now the service entrance).
Charles' son, George Clement Lord II, began living year-round at the farm in 1916. George II had been raised in Newton and like his grandfather before him, attended Governor Dummer Academy. After graduating from Phillips Andover Academy, he went to work for the Bates Manufacturing Company in Lewiston, Maine. He was soon compelled to leave, however, for reasons of health. In later years his wife, Mary, described the situation: "No one was then occupying the Big House, which was just used during the summer months. So my husband's father suggested we occupy the house, and he run the farm. Nothing could have been more acceptable, as George had spent many happy visits there when his uncle was managing it." To make the main house inhabitable for the new residents, electricity and a heating system were installed.
Soon after his arrival at Laudholm Farm, George C. Lord II thrust himself into the local and state political arena with notable success. He served as a selectman for the town of Wells, as a state representative, state senator, and finally on the Maine Governor's Council. He was also active in many farming organizations, serving as President of the York County Breeder's Association.
As an up-and-coming politician Mr. Lord frequently hosted the annual York County Farmers' Field Day at Laudholm Farm. On these occasions farmers from across the county gathered at the farm to listen to speeches on agricultural matters and discuss the latest in farm technology. Laudholm Farm was an appropriate location for those events, for it was widely known as "one of the showplaces of the country and a model of modern scientific agriculture."
A brochure from the 1920s advertised the many products of "Laudholm Farms" and boasted of the cleanliness of the facilities and the strict diet fed to the cattle. The farm offered milk, cream, butter, eggs, roasters, and broilers sent by parcel post to Boston and beyond. These products were "given the same attention as though Laudholm Farm's customers were themselves the owner of the estate."
The great depression was as tough on Laudholm Farm as it was on the rest of the nation. The Lords made the best of it by taking in summer boarders at "Laudholm Manor Farms and Cottages." Laudholm Manor guests would be treated to fresh Guernsey milk and cream, fruit and vegetables from the farm garden, and a room with private bath — all for four, five, or six dollars per day per person, including meals.
In 1931 Charles Edward Lord turned over ownership of Laudholm Farm to his three children: George, Roger, and Marion. George continued his farming operation at Laudholm until 1952 when he dispersed the Guernsey herd at an auction held at the farm.
The following year, an historical pageant was held at Laudholm Farm as part of the 350th birthday celebration of the town of Wells. More than 200 actors, dancers, and singers participated in the grand event titled "These Things Shall Be." The location for the pageant was particularly suitable, as Laudholm Farm had played such a long and important role in the history of the town of Wells.
George Lord began the process of preserving his land for the public in the 1960s, when he sold about 200 acres, including Laudholm Beach, to the state. Laudholm Farm continued to be hayed and farmed by local farmers until after George C. Lord II's death in 1977.
In the early 1980s, Laudholm Farm lay split among three families, all heirs of Charles E. Lord. When the prospect of development of the property was being discussed, concerned citizens of the town of Wells got together and decided this important landmark must be saved. It is the fruit of their efforts and foresight that we enjoy today. Instead of a subdivision of condominiums, houses, or hotels, the fields and estuaries of Laudholm Farm will remain in much the same condition they have for 350 years. “

For stage 1, Please be respectful, obey the rules posted at the entrance, including no dogs, only open in daylight, 5 m.p.h. The stones are very old, some date as far back as the 1600's. Stealth is required.
For Stage 2, This is only off the trail by a few feet. Do not attempt during any of the major festivals such as the crafts fair, Punkin Fiddle, etc. There is an entrance fee of $2 per person, but this is well worth it because there are a number of letter boxes here and at least 2 other caches. After Labor Day the booth isn't manned during the week. The area is closed from just before dusk to 7 a.m.
Dogs are not allowed.
The third stage is a community park and dogs are allowed. However, muggles abound. Do not attempt to do during the Pow Wow or the Chili festival. The cache hidden here started with a log and pen, lighthouse sox, a set of notecards, a fish, Maine postcards with stamps, a Maine bumper sticker. Please trade with Maine or ocean themed articles.

Thanks to Tschaikovsky for watching and caring for our caches while we were gone for the snow.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

1. Va n gerr 2. Jung'f n ohey? 3. Pbybavfgf znqr pnaqyrf jvgu guvf oreel.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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