Letterbox Series the Huguenot Cross (3 boxes)
Placed by: boxitup
Location: Huguenot Park
City: Richmond
State: VA
Date Placed: February 1, 2003
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 the boxes 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 1600s. 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
1. Park near the blue-and-yellow childrens playground and take the fitness trail to the far right of it.
2. At the Y-intersection, take the path to the right.
3. Dont turn right when you see the sign pointing to Shelter 2 -- keep going straight.
4. Very soon you will see a picnic table and a path to the right going to the Azalea Gardens. Take it.
5. At the T-intersection, go left.
6. At the intersection with the waist-high stump, go right and follow that path around to. . . .
7. The Y-intersection, where you should go right.
8. At the next Y, go left.
9. You will see a marker for THE CHANGING FOREST. Stop, read the marker, and then look over the marker into the forest and slightly to your left.
10. Walk 10 paces in to the stump and fallen tree that you see there. Where the stump and fallen tree meet is Box #1, well hidden inside the back of the fallen tree, covered with a large chunk of rotted tree.
#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 mile marker; pass it and keep on going.
6. At the T-intersection, go right.
7. About 19 paces down this path, you will see a small pine-needled path to the left (you will have to duck under some vegetation to go on this path!).
8. A few paces down this path brings you to a head-high rotting stump on your left.
9. Box #2 is in the top of the stump on the back side, hidden under bark and rotten wood pieces. Use the stamp and colored inkpad to add four hearts to your Cross Stamping, as illustrated on the logbook.
#3 The Huguenot Dove
1. Rather than return to the paved path you came from, keep going 10 paces on the pine-needle path and you will emerge onto another paved path. Go left.
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. Lets jog!
7. Hey! Were back at the Shelter 2 sign again. This time, lets 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 67 paces down this path. Off to the left and about 8 paces into the woods you will see a very short, hollow stump and a fallen tree. Box #3 is in the hollow stump, hidden deeply under bark and mulch. Use the stamp and colored inkpad provided to add the dove to your Cross Stamping, as illustrated on the logbook.
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