Nain Rouge
Nain Rouge is a legendary creature/urban legend from French and American folklore and one of the Lutins, comparable to hobgoblins in other cultures. Unlike the other Lutins, Nain Rouge is an evil creature that is feared as an omen of great misfortune whenever he appears and is described as more frightening than the generally hospitable Lutins.
Nain Rouge Legend
His appearance is said to presage terrible events for the city. The Nain Rouge appears as a small childlike creature with red or black fur boots. It is also said to have "blazing red eyes and rotten teeth." (Skinner 1896)
The creature is said to have attacked the first settlers of Detroit in 1701, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, who, soon after, lost his fortune. The creature is also said to have appeared on July 30, 1763, before the Battle of Bloody Run, where 58 British soldiers were killed by Native Americans from Chief Pontiac's tribe. The small tributary of the Detroit River which still flows through what is now Elmwood Cemetery turned red with blood for days after the battle. It is said he was seen dancing on the banks of the Detroit River.
Famous multiple sightings occurred in the days before the 1805 fire which destroyed most of Detroit. General William Hull reported a "dwarf attack" in the fog just before his surrender of Detroit in the War of 1812.
A woman claimed to have been attacked in 1884, and described the creature as resembling, "a baboon with a horned head...brilliant restless eyes and a devilish leer on its face." Another attack was reported in 1964.
Other sightings include the day before the 12th Street Riot in 1967 and before a huge snow/ice storm of March 1976, when two utility workers are said to have seen what they thought was a child climbing a utility pole which then jumped from the top of the pole and ran away as they approached.
Detroit Beer Co., a brewpub in downtown Detroit, has as its signature brew a "Detroit Dwarf" lager, named in honor of the Nain Rouge.
In 2010, a community-based movement began a tradition of a costumed community parade in the Midtown/Cass Corridor neighborhood. Called the Marche Du Nain Rouge, this event is a revival of an early tradition in the legend of the Nain Rouge. At the conclusion of the parade, an effigy of the imp was destroyed, thus banishing the evil spirit from the city for another year. Each year, parade participants and spectators are encouraged to wear costumes so that when the Nain Rouge next returns, he will not recognize the persons who once again ousted him from the city limits and thus will not be able to seek personal vengeance.
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About the cache
The cache is a small-size container hidden just off the Horse Trail. As always, please use stealth and return the cache to its original location. Also, when trading please trade fairly with items of equal or greater value.
Crosswinds Marsh Rules
No fires
No bikes / ATVs / personal watercraft
No swimming or ice fishing
Dogs must be leashed
No alcohol or illegal substances
No camping
Fishing in designated areas only
Collecting plants & animals prohibited
Park only at N 42° 05.744' W 83° 26.552'
All Geocachers must follow the above rules.
Crosswinds Marsh is open from DAWN to DUSK. Admission is FREE.
The Crosswinds Cache Crew pledges to develop and maintain quality, interesting geocaches in the marsh consistent with geocaching and Wayne County Parks rules permit process.
