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I-94 Traffic Crawl I- 294 ext. The Compleat Angler LbNA #17642 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Aug 23, 2005
Location:
City:Homewood
County:Cook
State:Illinois
Boxes:1
Planted by:Tiptoe & Tonto
Found by: 4Bucks
Last found:Nov 15, 2008
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFr
Last edited:Mar 31, 2016
**THIS BOX HAS BEEN PULLED; NOT SURE IF IT WILL BE REHIDDEN

I-94 Traffic Crawl: Illiana Series: I- 294 extension
Halsted Street Exit - South
“The Compleat Angler” Letterbox

“The Compleat Angler” Letterbox
Izaak Walton Preserve
Homewood, IL
Distance from I-294 – less than 2 miles from Halsted exit
Approximate hiking time to and from letterbox: 10 minutes

*Status update: as of Jan. 2011 this box has been temporarily pulled due to excavation plans to area and trail closure. We will re-hide when all trail construction is complete.

This property used to be part of the Washington Park Racetrack (horse racing) that was established in 1926, but burnt down in 1977. Part of the property is being rejuvenated by the faithful service of the Izaak Walton League. They are one of the oldest conservation organizations and many of the major conservation programs that America takes for granted today can be traced directly to a League activity or initiative. In 1922, 54 sportsmen met in Chicago to discuss environmental issues of concern. Within hours, the group formed an organization to combat water pollution and other environmental abuses. They named the newly formed group after Izaak Walton, the 17th-century English angler-conservationist who first published his literary classic "The Compleat Angler" in 1653, but he continued to add to its completeness for the next twenty-five years! Quite a long wait to finish a good read! And you think getting through the south end of I-294 is taking too long! Hopefully, this little jaunt and stamp will help bring into being the essence of the following quote by Izaak Walton; “Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter.”

Note: You may want to print clues to “Big Hole” box as it is off the same exit – only in the opposite direction. Both can be easily done in a short time.
("Big Hole" as of 8/27/05 was pulled...until further notice.

Driving instructions:
From I-294 take Halsted Street South Exit. Go south less than a mile to first stop light. Turn west (right) at the light (175th Street.) Go approx 1 mile to light which is Ashland Ave. (Canadian National (CN) RR yards will be in front of you). Turn south (left). Very shortly turn east (left) into the small Izaak Walton Preserve parking lot (between the CN building and the Homewood Pumping Station and directly across from Maple Road, if you get to Ridge Road, you’ve gone too far.)

Clues:
From the parking lot take the path toward the east that leads through the fence with Craig Johnson as your trail master. When you come to a “T” don’t make the right choice. After walking across the second wooden “snake,” (at 1.02) make note of this Trail masters first name. Continue on past one more wooden “snake”. Stop when you come to post 1.10. How many letters were in that trail masters first name? That’s how many steps you want to take to find the same numbered - trunked cottonwood tree on the left. From that tree take the same number steps southwest into the woods to yet another liked numbered trunked willow tree. This tree has seen better days! The compleat angler’s dream is covered with a variety of bark in the base of the trunk that makes an arch toward the north. Step lightly in order to not leave a trail to the box! As always, re-hide well and contact us to let us know you found the prize or if the box needs any maintenance.