DuJardin School: You "Brighton" My Day LbNA #20620
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Add Location| Owner: | Lavender  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Feb 28, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Bloomingdale |
| County: | DuPage |
| State: | Illinois |
| Boxes: | 2 |
| Found by: | Jumping Mouse! (2) |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Aug 12, 2006 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFFa |
| Last edited: | Feb 28, 2006 |
Level of difficulty: easy
Terrain: gravel path
Time commitiment: 20 minutes for the two letterboxes
I would suggest bringing a flashlight to make sure it is safe to put your hand in to retrieve your treasure.
This letterbox has gone missing as of 1/7/2007
Location: Meacham Grove Forest Preserve...enter from the parking entrance on circle avenue.
The story begins:
Once upon a time....in 1833, Sylas, Henry and Lyman Meacham moved from Rutland County, Vermont to the northeast section of what is now Bloomingdale Township.
In 1920, Bloomingdale acquired the land from the Heinberg family for the Bloomingdale Grove Forest Preserve. The preserve name was changed in 1976, when enthusiastic historians of Bloomingdale Township persuaded the District to attach a new name more appropriate to its historical background. Meacham Grove Forest Preserve is named after the Meacham brothers who settled in the area.
In 1974, two acquisitions to the preserve included an 18-acre landfill and a gravel pit which is now part of a lagoon and marsh. As you are walking the trails I hope you take time to think about the importance of caring for our Earth. Always remember to recycle when you can. That will prevent so much garbage from piling up in the landfills.
Some amazing discoveries: Archeological finds in Meacham Grove include arrowheads, Mound Builders' points and a fossilized horse tooth. The tooth, discovered in partially mineralized glacial material, was examined at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, and is thought to be about 10,000 years old.
As you are wandering these trails...keep your eyes open...YOU may discover the next archeological find!!
Now...let's get down to business.
I would like to dedicate these letterboxes to the first grade students in my classroom at DuJardin School. I hope to hear that many of my little cherubs have come to search for this secret hidden treasure that is hiding behind lock and key.
Sunjith, Alexis, Zack, Lorenzo, Sarah, Adrian, Jennifer, Emily, Jessica, Julie, Roksana, Ryan, Hunter, Aiman, Gabby, Stefania, Amy...this is for all of you! Thanks for making each day a special one at school! I love your enthusiasm, creativity, curiosity!
OK, now...here we go. Letter Box #1
A kiosk is located at the beginning of the trailhead. Stop by there to look at events and get a map of the forest preserve. Turn and go north heading towards Maple Lake. Follow the trail that sticks near the woods.
About 160 paces from the kiosk you will notice a long cylindrical object that NATURE NEVER intended to be there. Once spotted, take 27 steps backwards. Look towards the east. Take about 37 steps carefully into the wooded area...remember, you do not want to disturb the homes of the animals that live there. You should now see a tree filled with about 6 knot holes. The base of this tree is hollow. Is that a snake you see crawling up the tree? No, it is only a long snake like crack running from the bottom of the tree up about 2 feet. The secret treasure you seek is hiding behind lock and key is waiting for you there. HAVE FUN!
Your adventure continues once you have returned to the main trail. Letterbox #2
To locate the second letterbox hiding here...continue on the path in your original northbound direction. After walking for only a few moments you will notice apartment buildings ahead. Walk toward the buildings. Stop at the 4 large boulders and turn 180 degrees. Walk 70 paces from the boulders taking the trail on your left. You should be directly across from the red no swimming sign. Do not go toward the sign...as that would be dangerous, instead, take 25 steps into the wooded area. In front of you, you will notice a few downed trees. Behind the two trees that are resting on their side, you will notice two more trees standing tall. The treasure you seek is hiding at the base of the tree that is tilting slightly.
Have fun! And always remember to be careful. Please remember to always return the letterboxes carefully and make sure to return it exactly to the same location and cover it well.
This second stamp was carved at school when my students asked...how do you carve your own rubber stamp.
After finding the letterboxes, I hope you spend some time enjoying the rest of the walk around Maple Lake. The complete walk around is slightly over 1 mile. By the time you reach the second letterbox it would already be less then a mile. As you are walking I hope you enjoy viewing all of the wildlife. I have seen deer, possum, geese, and a variety of birds. In addition to wildlife, you can also see several different habitats each filled with their own unique life there.
Terrain: gravel path
Time commitiment: 20 minutes for the two letterboxes
I would suggest bringing a flashlight to make sure it is safe to put your hand in to retrieve your treasure.
This letterbox has gone missing as of 1/7/2007
Location: Meacham Grove Forest Preserve...enter from the parking entrance on circle avenue.
The story begins:
Once upon a time....in 1833, Sylas, Henry and Lyman Meacham moved from Rutland County, Vermont to the northeast section of what is now Bloomingdale Township.
In 1920, Bloomingdale acquired the land from the Heinberg family for the Bloomingdale Grove Forest Preserve. The preserve name was changed in 1976, when enthusiastic historians of Bloomingdale Township persuaded the District to attach a new name more appropriate to its historical background. Meacham Grove Forest Preserve is named after the Meacham brothers who settled in the area.
In 1974, two acquisitions to the preserve included an 18-acre landfill and a gravel pit which is now part of a lagoon and marsh. As you are walking the trails I hope you take time to think about the importance of caring for our Earth. Always remember to recycle when you can. That will prevent so much garbage from piling up in the landfills.
Some amazing discoveries: Archeological finds in Meacham Grove include arrowheads, Mound Builders' points and a fossilized horse tooth. The tooth, discovered in partially mineralized glacial material, was examined at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, and is thought to be about 10,000 years old.
As you are wandering these trails...keep your eyes open...YOU may discover the next archeological find!!
Now...let's get down to business.
I would like to dedicate these letterboxes to the first grade students in my classroom at DuJardin School. I hope to hear that many of my little cherubs have come to search for this secret hidden treasure that is hiding behind lock and key.
Sunjith, Alexis, Zack, Lorenzo, Sarah, Adrian, Jennifer, Emily, Jessica, Julie, Roksana, Ryan, Hunter, Aiman, Gabby, Stefania, Amy...this is for all of you! Thanks for making each day a special one at school! I love your enthusiasm, creativity, curiosity!
OK, now...here we go. Letter Box #1
A kiosk is located at the beginning of the trailhead. Stop by there to look at events and get a map of the forest preserve. Turn and go north heading towards Maple Lake. Follow the trail that sticks near the woods.
About 160 paces from the kiosk you will notice a long cylindrical object that NATURE NEVER intended to be there. Once spotted, take 27 steps backwards. Look towards the east. Take about 37 steps carefully into the wooded area...remember, you do not want to disturb the homes of the animals that live there. You should now see a tree filled with about 6 knot holes. The base of this tree is hollow. Is that a snake you see crawling up the tree? No, it is only a long snake like crack running from the bottom of the tree up about 2 feet. The secret treasure you seek is hiding behind lock and key is waiting for you there. HAVE FUN!
Your adventure continues once you have returned to the main trail. Letterbox #2
To locate the second letterbox hiding here...continue on the path in your original northbound direction. After walking for only a few moments you will notice apartment buildings ahead. Walk toward the buildings. Stop at the 4 large boulders and turn 180 degrees. Walk 70 paces from the boulders taking the trail on your left. You should be directly across from the red no swimming sign. Do not go toward the sign...as that would be dangerous, instead, take 25 steps into the wooded area. In front of you, you will notice a few downed trees. Behind the two trees that are resting on their side, you will notice two more trees standing tall. The treasure you seek is hiding at the base of the tree that is tilting slightly.
Have fun! And always remember to be careful. Please remember to always return the letterboxes carefully and make sure to return it exactly to the same location and cover it well.
This second stamp was carved at school when my students asked...how do you carve your own rubber stamp.
After finding the letterboxes, I hope you spend some time enjoying the rest of the walk around Maple Lake. The complete walk around is slightly over 1 mile. By the time you reach the second letterbox it would already be less then a mile. As you are walking I hope you enjoy viewing all of the wildlife. I have seen deer, possum, geese, and a variety of birds. In addition to wildlife, you can also see several different habitats each filled with their own unique life there.