Did you know that the international phenomenon of geocaching was first played on this day 22 years ago near Beavercreek in our neighboring region of Viola to the east? For those unfamiliar, geocaching is an outdoor activity where participants use GPS technology and other navigational techniques to hide and seek out containers with any number of prizes inside, called ‘caches’ or ‘geocaches,’ at locations marked by coordinates all around the world. 

Computer consultant Dave Ulmer wanted to test the accuracy of the newly-upgraded worldwide GPS system by hiding a black bucket off of Fellows Road south of Viola. Inside the bucket, he placed a logbook and pencil along with various prize items including videos, books, and a slingshot. He measured the cache’s GPS coordinates and shared them to an online community. 3 days later, two different readers used their own GPS receivers to find the container and shared their experiences online, thus beginning the outdoor activity of geocaching, now played by folks all around the world. 

To visit the plaque commemorating the original geocache stash, you can use Google Maps or another GPS system to navigate to the following coordinates: 45°17'27.6"N 122°24'48.0"W. Visit www.geocaching.com to learn more, and happy hunting!