Salina Flood Control Traditional Cache
Rattlingcrew: I went out today and it has been buried, hard to find one that far under ground. Thanks Glen
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You will be looking for a mortar tube, green plastic, 3 1/2" in diameter and about 21" long. Hidden in the rocks along one of the Smoky Hill River Oxbows
Salina was founded in 1858 along the banks of the Smoky Hill River, just west of its confluence with the Salina River.
In 1859 gold was discovered in Colorado. The resulting gold rush brought many travelers through the Salina Community, establishing it as a trade center.
The First Presbyterian Church was established in 1860, bringing religion to town.
In 1861 William Phillips brought a steam mill to town. The agriculture trade was started and Kansas became a state.
In 1867 the Union Pacific Railroad came to Salina and Salina's standing as a major trade center in the Midwest continued to grow. The railroad also brought growth to the city as it built on westward towards Denver.
In the 1880s the Catholic Schools started and in 1888 St. John’s Military School came to town.
In 1884 the first college came to town, Salina Normal.
In 1903 a devastating flood put over 80 percent of Salina under water.
Salina became a city of the first class in 1920.
By the depression of the 1930s, several flourmills had been established in Salina and it became the fifth largest producer of flour. Flour Milling would become the backbone of Salina's economy until the 1960s. The government changed the regulations for bulk transportation of flour and wheat was transported by rail to flour mills closer to large population centers, where the bulk of the bread was being produced.
In 1942 Camp Phillips was built southwest of Salina and over 144,000 troops were trained there. The complex was also a Prisoner of War Camp and encompassed over 44,000 acres. Eventually Camp Phillips would be incorporated into the Smoky Hill Bombing Range.
B-17 Bombers came to town and the air was full of the drone of aircraft engines. B-17s and B-24s staged here on their way overseas.
In 1951 Salina was just another victim in a long string of tragedies along the Smoky Hill and Saline Rivers. The rivers were rampant and Salina went under.
In 1952 the Air Force made it part of the SAC system and the B-47 bombers were stationed here.
This flood control dike pretty well surrounds the city. Several times heavy rains have flooded inside the city, but the ravaging waters of the Smoky Hill have been tamed. The city now draws water from the river close to the cutoff.
Doom has cast its nasty shadow over the city many times, Schilling Air Force base closed in 1964 as well as the collapse of the flour production. Many thought Salina would fall victim to these huge losses. Preservation of the trade center came from many directions, but the biggest asset is probably the intersection of Interstates 135 and 70 northwest of town.
Salina’s economy now is well established in all areas, numerous colleges, industries, military installations and freighting companies are based here......and downtown stays out of deep water thanks to this dike!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Pybfr gb gur fbhgu rqtr haqre ovt ebpxf.