Methodist Camp Meeting LbNA #45845
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Add Location| Owner: | wood thrush  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Mar 7, 2009 |
| Location: | |
| City: | ??? |
| County: | Montgomery |
| State: | Maryland |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | ??? |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Jul 27, 2013 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFOFFF |
| Last edited: | Mar 7, 2009 |
NEW CLUES AND HIDING PLACE AS OF 10.9.10 The village is protective of its groves of trees and recently shut down the path along which the box was originally hidden to encourage reforestation. I have moved the box and changed the clues accordingly, as well as changed out the logbook.--Wood Thrush
Location clue. In the 1800s, as Methodists spread across the eastern part of the country, they created “camp meeting” sites such as Ocean Grove, NJ, which is still in operation today. There is a camp meeting site in Montgomery County, Maryland, which over the years became a quirky town that retained many of its original features, including quaint gingerbread-style cottages that are now permanent residences. This letterbox walk is designed to help you experience the atmosphere of this special place, and, in the end, to lead you to the letterbox.
To the letterbox. Go to the intersection of Chestnut Rd. and Center St. in this town. You should find some parking spaces here, unless there is a community event at the octagonal McCathran Hall. If there is, find parking as close to this spot as you can. It should not be too hard.
Walk over and admire the hall, also known as “Assembly Hall,” and the very old cottages that are its neighbors. Find First Ave., a “walkway only” street. As you walk through town, you will notice many of the streets are unpaved and “walkway only.” This is an integral part of the ambience here. The town residents want visitors to walk, not drive, through their town. Also, note that many of the streets have nearly identical names—for example, there is a "Grove Rd." AND a "Grove St." So keep your streets and avenues straight! One of our first finders suggests printing out a map from Google Maps or Mapquest and bringing it with you.
Turn left on First Ave., and notice the hand-painted poison ivy on the street sign. (Whenever you see a street sign, take a close look to see what native plant is honored on it.) On your right you will pass a cottage with a huge tree growing out of the porch and through the porch roof. The conservation of large, old trees is very important in this town. Stay on First Ave., passing a cottage with a white picket fence, and walking into The Sacred Circle. The address of this white cottage is 1 The Circle.
Take a walk around the circle and admire the cottages. This is the original camp meeting site, dating to 1873, and these homes are quite old. When you are ready, take the path (also known as Seventh Ave.) between 9 the Circle and 1 The Circle. This short path brings you out at Grove Rd. Turn left here.
Walk along Grove Rd., past the place where the road splits briefly. Soon you will walk past a sign to your left warning you that cats are at play.
At the intersection of Grove Rd. (watercress on the sign) and Dorsey St. (catbrier on the sign), look to your right into the woods. You will see a "walk way only" sign. Turn right and follow Dorsey St. in this direction—it is now a footpath in the woods of Woodward Park.
You'll quickly come to a path intersection, but walk straight ahead. At a second intersection, turn left. (If you were to keep walking straight here, you would notice the path quickly petering out.)
On this new path, notice here and there folks have cut thin cross-sections of small tree trunks and placed them along the path, almost like stepping stones.
Soon you will see ahead a T intersection with another path. About 14 steps before this junction, look to your left and spot "The Fire Hydrant in the Woods." It is on the left, about 12 steps from the path. Next to the hydrant is a good sized tree, and in front of the tree, a fallen log leads away from the hydrant. About 7/8th of the way down the log from the hydrant is what you seek. It is behind the log and under some SPOL.
Return trip. Walk up to the T intersection and make a left. In a short distance you will be back at Grove Rd. Walk back along Grove Rd. until you come to Center St. Turn right. Soon you will be back at the assembly hall and your car. Your adventure does not have to end here, however. We highly recommend you explore other parts of this unique town on foot. There are many historic cottages to admire, especially—but not limited to—those along Grove Ave., Chestnut Rd. and Chestnut Ave. We hope you have enjoyed your visit to this unusual historic place.
Hike Length: 1 mile.
Location clue. In the 1800s, as Methodists spread across the eastern part of the country, they created “camp meeting” sites such as Ocean Grove, NJ, which is still in operation today. There is a camp meeting site in Montgomery County, Maryland, which over the years became a quirky town that retained many of its original features, including quaint gingerbread-style cottages that are now permanent residences. This letterbox walk is designed to help you experience the atmosphere of this special place, and, in the end, to lead you to the letterbox.
To the letterbox. Go to the intersection of Chestnut Rd. and Center St. in this town. You should find some parking spaces here, unless there is a community event at the octagonal McCathran Hall. If there is, find parking as close to this spot as you can. It should not be too hard.
Walk over and admire the hall, also known as “Assembly Hall,” and the very old cottages that are its neighbors. Find First Ave., a “walkway only” street. As you walk through town, you will notice many of the streets are unpaved and “walkway only.” This is an integral part of the ambience here. The town residents want visitors to walk, not drive, through their town. Also, note that many of the streets have nearly identical names—for example, there is a "Grove Rd." AND a "Grove St." So keep your streets and avenues straight! One of our first finders suggests printing out a map from Google Maps or Mapquest and bringing it with you.
Turn left on First Ave., and notice the hand-painted poison ivy on the street sign. (Whenever you see a street sign, take a close look to see what native plant is honored on it.) On your right you will pass a cottage with a huge tree growing out of the porch and through the porch roof. The conservation of large, old trees is very important in this town. Stay on First Ave., passing a cottage with a white picket fence, and walking into The Sacred Circle. The address of this white cottage is 1 The Circle.
Take a walk around the circle and admire the cottages. This is the original camp meeting site, dating to 1873, and these homes are quite old. When you are ready, take the path (also known as Seventh Ave.) between 9 the Circle and 1 The Circle. This short path brings you out at Grove Rd. Turn left here.
Walk along Grove Rd., past the place where the road splits briefly. Soon you will walk past a sign to your left warning you that cats are at play.
At the intersection of Grove Rd. (watercress on the sign) and Dorsey St. (catbrier on the sign), look to your right into the woods. You will see a "walk way only" sign. Turn right and follow Dorsey St. in this direction—it is now a footpath in the woods of Woodward Park.
You'll quickly come to a path intersection, but walk straight ahead. At a second intersection, turn left. (If you were to keep walking straight here, you would notice the path quickly petering out.)
On this new path, notice here and there folks have cut thin cross-sections of small tree trunks and placed them along the path, almost like stepping stones.
Soon you will see ahead a T intersection with another path. About 14 steps before this junction, look to your left and spot "The Fire Hydrant in the Woods." It is on the left, about 12 steps from the path. Next to the hydrant is a good sized tree, and in front of the tree, a fallen log leads away from the hydrant. About 7/8th of the way down the log from the hydrant is what you seek. It is behind the log and under some SPOL.
Return trip. Walk up to the T intersection and make a left. In a short distance you will be back at Grove Rd. Walk back along Grove Rd. until you come to Center St. Turn right. Soon you will be back at the assembly hall and your car. Your adventure does not have to end here, however. We highly recommend you explore other parts of this unique town on foot. There are many historic cottages to admire, especially—but not limited to—those along Grove Ave., Chestnut Rd. and Chestnut Ave. We hope you have enjoyed your visit to this unusual historic place.
Hike Length: 1 mile.