CARLISLE INDIAN SCHOOL (1879-1918)
Biddle Mission Park
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Cumberland County, south central PA
TERRAIN: Easy
CLUE DIFFICULTY: Easy, pretty much a drive-by
PLANTED: July 16, 2002 by the Drakes and their dog Buddy
Email: alwayschaos@yahoo.com
Biddle Mission Park is a 5-acre park on East North Street in downtown
Carlisle, PA, behind the Jaycee's building. The park is not far from
the Carlisle Barracks, the home of the Carlisle Indian School.
Because of tight security this letterbox was placed in the nearest
park so that everyone may find it.
Richard Henry Pratt founded the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in
1879 as the first off-reservation government boarding school for
Native American Indian Children. These schools were set up
to "Americanize" the Native American, who were taken from their
families and brought here. The Carlisle school, operated by the U.S.
Army, served as a model for dozens of schools throughout the U.S.,
some of which are still running today. Jim Thorpe is it's most famous
student. Geronimo's children were also students here. Visit the
Cumberland County Historical Society to see their extensive
collection about the "Indian School."
This stamp is a rough replicate of a design drawn by one of the
students for title page of the school's newspaper.
CLUES:
Enter the park from East North Street- the park entrance shares the
driveway to the Jaycee's building. Park in the upper parking lot,
next to the basketball court.
Find the large sister tree named "Megan" and "Judy" toward the rear
of the park near the LeTort Spring Run. In its crotch, you'll find
what you seek. It is covered with bark to camouflage, please recover
after you stamp in.
(HINT: if you still haven't found it and are still reading, site 285
degrees from the basketball hoop to the large tree near the spring-
it's around the back of the tree at eye-level).