A few days ago I wrote about geocaching and how we liked learning interesting things along the way. Here is an example of one that we found. This one is a virtual cache which means that you don't have to find a container but just gather information from the site. When you email the requested information, the cache owner gives you credit for the find. Some other time I will write about another type of cache.
Blood Stained Mausoleum
John
Henderson Craigmiles was a very successful man. He was a former sea
captain, and a prominent business man in Cleveland, TN during the 1800s.
However, his endured more tragedy than most people can imagine.
Nina Craigmiles was born on August 5, 1864, to John Henderson
Craigmiles and his wife, Adelia Thompson Craigmiles. From the day she
was born, her entire family fell in love with her, especially John. He
showered her with affection, and bought her the best toys money could
buy. He rarely ever let her leave his sight, and, as a result, she had
few friends her own age. Some people have suggested that she wanted
friends her own age, but if she did, she didn't appear to want for it
very much. She seemed very happy in such a loving family.
Sadly, on October 18, 1871, that happiness came to an end. It was
Saint Luke's Day, and Nina's grandfather, Dr. Gideon Blackburn Thompson,
was taking her for a ride on a horse and buggy. He had done this many
times before, and Nina absolutely loved riding. Apparently, Dr. Thompson
lost control of the horse and buggy, because it went directly into the
path of a train. Dr. Thompson was thrown to safety, but Nina was killed.
The entire town was saddened by the news, and many people showed up
for her funeral. After her funeral, Dr. Thompson and two others were
baptized. The Craigmiles were devout Episcopalians, and since the
Episcopal congregation of Cleveland did not have a church to visit at,
John Henderson Craigmiles vowed to build one, which he did in memory of
Nina. Saint Luke's Episcopal Church was consecrated on the third
anniversary of Nina's death. It was (and still is) a very beautiful
church. Not long after, Mr. Craigmiles had a mausoleum built behind the
church in memory of his daughter. She was laid to rest inside, as was
another infant son who died, and Mr. and Mrs. Craigmiles. Mr. Craigmiles
met an untimely death after falling on some ice, which apparently
triggered blood poisoning. A third member of the family had met a tragic
death.
Today, if you visit the mausoleum, you will notice red streaks the
color of blood appear on it. The stories say that the bloody stains
first began to appear on the Craigmiles mausoleum after Nina was
interred there. With the death of each family member, the stains grew
darker and more noticeable. Some of the locals began to believe that the
marks were blood, coming from the stone itself, in response to the
tragedies suffered by the family.
To this day, the bloody marks remain. What may have caused them, and why they refuse to be washed away, remains a mystery.
To receive credit for this cache you must email answers to the following questions.
1.)How many columns hold up the cross structure on top of the Mausoleum?
2.)Who's garden is to your right when you are facing the doors to the Mausoleum?
3.)What is written on the step at the entrance?
4.)What is the date on the door?
