Memorial Day Caches

[sacrawf]

While Memorial day camping, I took along some geocache coordinates for cemetery geocaches which served as the final resting place for some Revolutionary War veterans that had moved to settle the Western Indiana area.  It was educational and inspirational to visit these sites, the memorials erected to their memory, and learn of the lives of those who helped form our country.  Without the efforts of the geocache owners recognizing these local landmarks and sharing the history, we would have driven by without being able to appreciate and pay respect to their memory. Last fall, during a camping trip into South East Missouri, a geocache took me to a Civil war fort and battle site that no local travel materials or local tourism websites made mention of, and was one of the highlights of the trip.

I plan to seek other historical geocache sites for Independence Day and Labor Day as well.  Does anybody have any favorite geocaches you recommend for interesting regional or national historical significance that is not easily found from other tourism information sources?

[Nemesis56]

I plan to seek other historical geocache sites for Independence Day and Labor Day as well.  Does anybody have any favorite geocaches you recommend for interesting regional or national historical significance that is not easily found from other tourism information sources?

Yes.  There is a little cemetary just over into Indiana, (less than an hour drive) Between Star City and Francisville, about 15 miles south of Winamac.  My dad is buried there in the new section.  If you go over to the far edges of the oldest section, you'll find the resting places of Revolutionary War, 1812, Mexico and Civil War.  I beleive there is a veteran from the French and Indian war, but most of the old headstones are erroded badly.  There are soldiers from every conflict buried there. We usually make a day of it,  weeding, clearing off overgrowth. etc.  It's a very peacefull place.  I'm not sure if it's for veterans only, but seem to recall that's what everybody says.  Dad was a veteran from the Korean War and fought at the Chosin Resovior.  He was a Pulaski County resident (Indiana) and the town gave him a big ceremony.  That is the place he had picked.  It's small but full of history.  There is also another pioneer cemetary on my family's property down by Goodfield , Illinois.  It's small but dates back to the early 1700's.  The U of I came down and checked it out after we had found it, by accident, hunting about 30 years ago.  They were amazed.  It's on the Macinaw River.  The whole town relocated further inland to higher ground after  an Indian attack.  Then of course there is the most desecrated and most haunted cemetary in all the midwest, Bachelor's Grove.  It's full of Civil War, Spanish American, and WW1 veterans.  I'll give you more details or info if you're interested.

[sacrawf]

These all sound like very interesting places to visit.  We camped at Winamac last year during their annual Mint Festival, and really enjoyed a tour of the mint farms, the Winamac railroad museum, and noted several places to check out on a return trip This is a site we would be interested in visiting.

As for Goodfield, I hope to be driving to Galesburg very soon on 74 from the East, and would appreciate information about that site as well. Where is the Bachelor's Grove located? Thanks!

Yes.  There is a little cemetary just over into Indiana, (less than an hour drive) Between Star City and Francisville, about 15 miles south of Winamac.  My dad is buried there in the new section.  If you go over to the far edges of the oldest section, you'll find the resting places of Revolutionary War, 1812, Mexico and Civil War.  I beleive there is a veteran from the French and Indian war, but most of the old headstones are erroded badly.  There are soldiers from every conflict buried there. We usually make a day of it,  weeding, clearing off overgrowth. etc.  It's a very peacefull place.  I'm not sure if it's for veterans only, but seem to recall that's what everybody says.  Dad was a veteran from the Korean War and fought at the Chosin Resovior.  He was a Pulaski County resident (Indiana) and the town gave him a big ceremony.  That is the place he had picked.  It's small but full of history.  There is also another pioneer cemetary on my family's property down by Goodfield , Illinois.  It's small but dates back to the early 1700's.  The U of I came down and checked it out after we had found it, by accident, hunting about 30 years ago.  They were amazed.  It's on the Macinaw River.  The whole town relocated further inland to higher ground after  an Indian attack.  Then of course there is the most desecrated and most haunted cemetary in all the midwest, Bachelor's Grove.  It's full of Civil War, Spanish American, and WW1 veterans.  I'll give you more details or info if you're interested.

[Nemesis56]

As for Goodfield, I hope to be driving to Galesburg very soon on 74 from the East, and would appreciate information about that site as well. Where is the Bachelor's Grove located? Thanks!

.


The cemetary in Indiana is on RT 119, about 12 miles south of Winamac and is called Presbyieterian Cemetary.

I'll have to ask permission for you to visit the one in Goodfield, IL.  Property is being rented.  I'll get you directions, It is way off the beaten path.

Bachelor's Grove Cemetery is located in Midlothian,IL.  143rd  and Midlothian Turnpike near Rubio woods..
Here is a couple links, but you'd be better off Googling it.


http://www.graveyards.com/IL/Cook/bachelors/

http://www.graveyards.com/bin/grave?id=12

http://www.hauntedhamilton.com/gotw_bachelorsgrove.html

[Nemesis56]

Permission was given to visit the cemetery in Goodfield.  IM me and we will exchange information and I will forward it to them so they know who you are.
Are you by any chance going to the Medevel Fest at Jubillee State Park in Brimfield on Father's Day weekend?  They also have a nice campground.