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Huguenot Cross LbNA #2808

Owner:Renee
Plant date:Feb 1, 2003
Location:
City:Richmond
County:Chesterfield
State:Virginia
Boxes:3
Found by: Dolly (2)
Last found:Jun 16, 2006
Status:FFFFFaFa
Last edited:Feb 1, 2003
The Huguenot Cross
Location: Huguenot Park

Boxes last checked in November 2005. THE FIRST BOX, CONTAINING THE CROSS STAMP, IS MISSING. This box is crucial to the end design, but I have replaced this complicated stamp twice already. It is very time-consuming to carve.

*******So, I have RETIRED this series, as I do not intend to replace the first stamp and I am not able to post a picture of the first stamp. So Sorry!**********


Difficulty: terrain very easy and distance under a mile, but boxes are well hidden

Note: Because this is a heavily used urban park, I have taken the added precaution of putting boxes #2 and #3 in nylon camouflage bags. They will be hard to see! Be very discreet in retrieving these boxes. This park is often crowded.

Directions to Huguenot Park From Richmond: Take Midlothian Tnpk. (US60) west from Chippenham Pkwy. Go 4.3 miles to Robious Rd. Turn right on Robious. Proceed west 1.3 miles to park entrance on left.

The Huguenots, French Protestant followers of Calvin, were persecuted by the Catholic Church in France in the 1600’s. Thousands fled to England, Holland and the colonies – in 1700, 500 newly arrived Huguenots settled in the Richmond area (near Manakin) and began new lives. Several families descended from the original Huguenot settlers still own the original Virginia farmland granted to them 3 centuries ago. This park is named for those intrepid pioneers.

The Huguenot cross is composed of a Maltese cross, four hearts (symbols of loyalty), four fleur-de-lis (symbols of purity), and a dove (symbol of the Holy Spirit). The four hearts also represent the four newlywed Huguenot couples who, on their wedding day, were captured by their French oppressors and threatened with burning at the stake if they did not reject their religion. They remained loyal and died singing in the bonfire.

You should look for Box #1 first, since it is the cross and forms the base to which you will add the heart and the dove.

#1 – The Huguenot Cross --MISSING--SEE NOTE ABOVE.
1. Park near the blue, purple and yellow children’s playground and take the fitness trail to the far right of it.
2. At the Y-intersection, take the path to the right.
3. Don’t turn right when you see the sign pointing to Shelter 2 -- keep going straight.
4. Very soon you will see, off to the right, a brown sign and a path to the right going to the Azalea Gardens. Take it.
5. At the T-intersection, go left.
6. You should pass a waist-high stump with a very faint trail going to the left, but you need to keep to the right and follow that main path around to. . . .
7. The T-intersection, where you should go right.
8. At the next Y, go right.
9. Immediately past the "Urban Forest" marker, go left at the Y intersection.
10. You will see a marker for THE CHANGING FOREST. Stop, read the marker, and then look over the marker into the forest straight ahead.
10. Walk 15 paces in to the stump and fallen tree that you see there. At the base of the big fallen tree is Box #1, hidden under pieces of bark. This is the main stamp - stamp it into your logbook with the dove pointing down.

Please rehide carefully in the same hideyhole!

#2 – The Huguenot Heart
1. Return to the path after finding Box #1 and go left.
2. At the T- intersection, go right.
3. When you see the sign for the entrance to the Azalea Gardens, go left and exit the gardens.
4. At the main paved path, go right.
5. You will see a ¾ mile marker; pass it and keep on going.
6. At the T-intersection, go right.
7. Soon you will hear traffic and see that you are near the road, and you will come to an exercise station with bars set at many heights. Across the path, about 16 paces into that little clearing and off to the left, is a large pine tree. Go there.
8. Face this tree with your back to the trail. Directly to your left is a double tree with a fallen tree between its two trunks. At the back of this tree, in a hole in its base, is box #2, the Heart. Stamp 4 little red hearts onto the heart places on the cross stamp in your logbook.


#3 – The Huguenot Dove

1. Go back to the paved trail and turn right in order to continue on in the same direction.
2. At the Y-intersection, go left.
3. In about 21 paces you will come to a T-intersection – go left.
4. You will pass the blue-and-yellow playground and parking lot on your right. Keep going.
5. DO NOT go left at the monkey climb; keep going straight.
6. At the next intersection, you can either go to the restrooms or go jogging. Let’s jog!
7. Hey! We’re back at the Shelter 2 sign again. This time, let’s take that path to the shelter.
8. Cross the wooden footbridge and the little ditch with the concrete pipe.
9. At the 4-way intersection, keep heading toward Shelter 2.
10. At the second 4-way intersection, you can see Shelter 2 straight ahead, but you need to go right.
11. Go 80 paces down this path. Off to the left and about 15 paces into the woods you will see the first of several fallen trees. At the base of this pine, under pieces of bark, is Box #3. Use the stamp and colored inkpad provided to add the dove to your Cross stamping.

Retrace your path to return to the playground and to your car.