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Round Barn on Round Barn Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

RedHiker: Archiving this cache as there has been no response and/or no update and it has been unavailable for a while now.

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RedHiker
Volunteer Reviewer Northern California

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Hidden : 4/28/2015
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

Slightly larger than micro but smaller than small traditional cache.
 


This is a camo-ed traditional cache at a place that has been around longer than I have.

This spot used to look over a "Round Barn" that was put up in this spot because of a utopian society that arose in the second half of the 1800s. It was called the Society of New Life by Thomas Lake Harris, who considered himself a prophet. He was long interested in winemaking and tired (and sick) of living in the harsher northeastern US climate, so he made his way via the transcontinental railroad to Sonoma County.

400 acres of land was purchased for $50/acre, and Harris christened this spot "Fountaingrove". The grounds were planted with exotic shrubs and trees. The chief architect of the buildings here in the Fountaingrove society was Louis Cowles.

This utopian society may have been less than utopian. Gaye LeBaron & Bart Casey's book The Wonder Seekers of Fountaingrove delve into the who, what, and where of this society.

The "round barn" that was here was destroyed by the fast-moving and devastating fires of October 2017, that also leveled over 5,000 homes in Santa Rosa. I do not know if it will be rebuilt, but it became one of the symbols of the fires in Sonoma County. From this spot you may be able to see a mobile home park to your southeast that was flattened, as well as the Hilton Hotel immediately northwest of this spot that was destroyed.

Cache is a park and grab, wheelchair accessible, although at a spot for a nice walk. Sometimes nearby there is a rental herd of sheep or goats for natural weed control, though they have already been there this spring. You shouldn't need any TOTT. There is a travel bug for FTF.

Happy caching!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Znl or fcvqref!

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)