This cache was hidden as part of the Abandoned Railroads of Newaygo County Geocache Rail Tour, presented by the Newaygo County Museum and Heritage Center and Silent Whistles. Record the milepost value contained on and/or in each cache container on the Ticket to Newaygo County form. See the additional information below for specific tour requirements.
This cache is on the grade of the standard gauge branch to the Lilley and Sisson mill complex at Pettibone Lake. The cache is on land that is part of the Manistee National Forest. .
Sisson and Lilley log train, near Pettibone Lake, around 1890.
Francis Lilley and George E. Sisson built a large mill on Pettibone Lake in northern Newaygo County in 1884 and constructed a spur from a place called Lilley or Lilley Junction, off the Chicago and West Michigan Railroad to the mill. The village at the mill was known as Sisson, or Sissons by the railroad. The company built both a sawmill and planing mill. The planing burned in 1892, but the sawmill operated until 1898. When the sawmill closed, many of the buildings were torn down and materials moved to Marl Lake to be used by the Newaygo Portland Cement Company there. In 1900, Wilson & Gregory purchased the dock, pilings and scrap in the lake and cut it into lath, used under plastered walls.
Sisson Branch grade.
The Sissons branch of the C&WM was built in 1884 and operated until it was abandoned in 1895, after the timbe harvest in the area was complete. Both Standard and narrow gauge rails were laid, with the 2.4 mile long branch line being standard. Narrow gauge rails were laid an additional 6 miles into the timber lands.
To claim a prize:
- Download and print the Ticket to Newaygo County form (PDF). See alternate below.
- Find 28 of the 35 cache hides in the table below.
- Find at least five of the seven mystery and multi caches in any combination.
- Record the milepost number from the label or log of each cache you find on a printed copy of the form. Milepost numbers are on cache labels and log book covers.
- Each individual GC account holder making the find must sign and date the paper log book in the cache with their GC account name. No group logs please.
- Optionally, upload a photo of your log entry. Be careful to not include the milepost value in the photo.
- Send the completed form via US Mail to the address on the form. Each GC account holder must send in a form.
Once your answers have been verified, the prize will be sent back to you via US Mail to the address you provide on the form.
The first 95 cachers to complete the tour will be awarded a Silent Whistles pathtag commemorating the Big Rapids Branch of the Chicago and Michigan Lake Shore Railroad.
One prize per completed form. One prize per GC Account.
Download the Ticket to Ride form:
Click Ticket to Newaygo County (PDF) to download a printable version the form (PDF).
Click Ticket to Newaygo County (PNG) to download an alternate, less clear graphic version of the form.
If you don't have access to a printer, printed copies can be obtained at the Newaygo County Museum and Heritage Center, or by sending a self addressed stamped envelope to the address on the bottom of the form.
Sources:
- Chicago and West Michigan Railroad
- Standard Atlas of Newaygo County, Michigan, G.A. Ogle & Co., 1900
- Lumbering in Newaygo County, Harry L. Spooner, © 1946, Cooper Press, reprinted 1976 by the Newaygo County Historical Archive
- Michigan Place Names, Walter Romig, © 1986 Wayne State University Press
- Michigan Railroad Lines, Graydon M. Meints © 2005, Michigan State University Press
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Visit the Newaygo County Museum and Heritage Center at: 12 Quarterline Road, Newaygo, Michigan (at the downtown light).
Visit the Newaygo County Museum and Heritage Center on Thursday, September 11th, 2014 at 7:00PM for the Heritage Speaker Series topic: Logging and Railroads in Newaygo County by Dr. Carl Bajema. Reservations are required