Caching In Loveland Again 6/20/2010

Another day caching in Loveland as we started out with a virtual cache related to The Washington Elm. The original Washington Elm, which died in 1922, stood at the site where George Washington gathered his troops on July 3, 1775, two weeks after he was voted commander in chief of the Continental Army. In 1932, the Namaqua Chapter received a “great-grand-sapling” scion of the original Washington Elm Tree in Cambridge, Mass., as did DAR chapters throughout the U.S. The Namaqua Chapter regent in 1932 planted the sapling in the yard of Lincoln School with the school’s permission. In 1965 when the school property was sold to Albertsons, the tree was in danger of removal. Eva Aiken, regent of the Namaqua Chapter, and member Zethyl Gates launched a campaign to save the tree, meeting success a year later when Albertsons changed its plans and included the tree as part of the parking lot. In 2000, Walgreens began leasing the building, funding a project four years later to create a platform and fence around the tree with help from the Namaqua Chapter and local clubs. The Namaqua Chapter raises money to help preserve the tree and to pay for an arborist to trim it as needed, Fiscus said, adding that the club is propagating the tree to keep its ancestry alive.

Then we drove to Lakeside Cemetery for another virtual cache related to 2 men that were struk by lightening and killed in the mid 1800's. Wilson Peterson who was on a cattle drive on the Cherokee Trail arrived at the Big Thompson River in June of 1854 was struck and killed by lightening. Also Mexico Joe was struck by lightening in August of 1870.

Then we drove into downtown Loveland and the Historic District of the city. We drove around for awhile looking at all the old buildings, lovely statues and interesting shops. Then it was back to caching but unfortunately all the rest of the caches were NRV caches. Places like a park, police station, town offices, Home Depot, a office park, a guardrail, a decorative bridge and the local bike trail.

Then it was back to the coach for the afternoon as I wanted to watch the U.S. Open. Well I guess that's about all from CO for today so until tomorrow we love and miss you all. Mom & Dad Dori & Dick