------------------------------*All Limited Edition Geocoins Have Been Awarded*------------------------------
This cache is placed as part of the
Crystal Lake 100-Years Geocoin Challenge created to celebrate Crystal Lake's centennial anniversary of incorporation (1914-2014). The Challenge will take you throughout the city where you will discover twelve (12) hidden caches and explore some Crystal Lake history along the way. Be one of the first 250 geocachers* to complete the Challenge and receive a limited edition trackable CL100Years Geocoin.
The Crystal Lake 100-Years Geocoin Challenge Passport contains instructions, a list of the geocaches, and designated areas for recording the code words you discover in each cache. You can print your Passport
HERE or pick one up in the specially marked box located just outside the front entrance to Crystal Lake City Hall at 100 W. Woodstock St., Crystal Lake, IL 60014.
Here are the 12 caches:
GC4XNGQ,
GC4Y2WH,
GC4XM0N,
GC4Y96C,
GC4XKNN,
GC4XK2V,
GC4ZFZM,
GC4XTYZ,
GC4XPNZ,
GC4ZAKQ,
GC4XPM5,
GC4XQQY
*limit one per registered geocaching account/household please
------------------------------code words are located on inside cover of logbooks------------------------------
Violet and Almeda, born in 1918 and 1920 respectively, have lived their lives in Crystal Lake. They and their three siblings grew up in a house on Crystal Lake Avenue. Across the street and to the south were corn fields and further west stretching to Route 14 was a dairy farm. Their mother would send them to the dairy to purchase a pint of cream on special occasions. Home deliveries were commonplace. Another local dairy delivered milk to their home daily. The local bakery truck would come through the neighborhood selling baked goods, and the iceman would bring blocks of ice. Their mother would place a card, 25 or 50, in the window showing how many pounds of ice were needed that day. Using tongs, the iceman would hoist the block onto his shoulder and carry it to the ice box on the back porch.
Image provided by Crystal Lake Historical Society
Memories of growing up in Crystal Lake include the sawdust on the floor of Albold's Meat Market and the hitching posts along Williams Street where men would tie their horses. "Pickle Nelson" was how they referred to the owner of two large wooden pickle vats located at the corner of Crystal Lake & Dole Avenues. Two other pickle vats were located near the corner of Woodstock St. and Walkup Avenue, where the pickle factory once stood.
In 1953, Almeda & her husband built their current home after the rent they were paying on Pomeroy Avenue increased to $35 per month. A year later, Violet and her husband built their home next door. The land on which both homes were built was purchased from Ted Sterne. Located north of Route 176 at the south edge of what is now Veteran Acres/Sterne's Woods, the sisters felt they were out in the middle of nowhere. No other homes were nearby and cornfields filled the land. Within a few years, Almeda's husband helped Mr. Sterne plant groves of pine seedlings on land to the north. Those pine groves in Sterne's Woods remain today.
Important Information:
Parking coordinates provided take you to a parking lot near Veteran Acres' Wingate Prairie where you can then walk to the cache. When done, please take care to position it back to keep it hidden. As with the other caches in this series, stealth may be required.
5/26/20 Note: Replaced missing regular-sized container with a small one hidden in same spot.