GCK759 He's Alive! IV Maples Branch (Traditional Cache) in Tennessee, United States created by Shaconage

This cache has been archived.

The Seanachai: Greetings from Geocaching.com,

It has come to my attention that this cache was placed without the permission of the property owner who has requested that this listing be archived immediately. In these cases, we must respect the wishes of property owners and managers. I am therefore, archiving this listing, please pick up this cache or any remaining bits as soon as possible. If there are extenuating circumstance or if there is more information that I should be aware of, I encourage you to contact me directly.

I want to thank you for the time that you have taken to contribute in the past and I am looking forward to your continued contributions to the sport of Geocaching.

The Seanachai
Geocaching.com Volunteer Cache Reviewer for Tennessee
Reply to: TheSeanachai@gmail.com
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GCK759 ▼

A cache by Shaconage Message this owner

Hidden : 8/8/2004

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Eastern Tennessee is considered part of the "Bible belt" and the surrounding Smoky Mountain communities hold
their religious believes in high esteem!

Available year-round

Less than 500 ft. from car to cache

No restrooms available

Religious Site

Beware of Muggles!

Generated by The Selector

He's Alive! IV
Maples Branch Baptist Church

This is the fifth in a series of He's Alive! caches.

Many of the local Smoky Mountain churches have small congregations, are quaint and friendly, and their structures have a very typical country facade.

Frequently small in size, though large in stature, the church is distinguished by being white in color with a double door step-up entrance and a steeple as modest as the congregation within. The more "luxurious" steeple will house a meeting bell.

In the early 1930s Maples Branch Community, mostly farm families, had to go across the mountain to Bethel or to other churches to worship. There was a schoolhouse and the growing community decided to have worship services in the school.

The small congregation established themselves as a church Sunday, October 9, 1938. By 1939, the Sunday School enrollment had grown to 50 with 21 baptisms that year.

When Reverend J. A. Baker became pastor in January 1940, the church was still meeting in the schoolhouse. He inspired the people to build a church house. With only $8 in the treasury and two committees formed to collect donations, plans began. Luther Maples sold one and nine tenths acres adjacent to the school to the church for $100. Donations were hard to get because people could only afford small amounts ranging from 10 cents to a dollar. Some gave items that were converted into cash. But by May 1941, Sunday School was held in the new building. It had taken a year. Everybody met at the schoolhouse and walked together to the new church house.

The church house still stands where it was first built, looking relatively the same but with many improvements.

The best time to visit this geocache is obviously during non Sunday meeting hours as there will be less traffic in the immediate area.

This cache is located near the Maples Branch Baptist Church off of Maples Branch Road in Sevierville, Tennessee. A 6"x9.5"x6", cammouflaged rubbermaid plastic container is your quest

Please remember the exact place and position you retrieve the cache so as to return it in the same manner!

Godspeed and enjoy the hunt!