It’s Week 6 of the Secret Trust Adventure! Up for grabs is a second-place mini-chest filled with $200. Remember that to claim this prize, you will need to successfully complete all weekly challenges in addition to finding the hidden cache.
Of course, the journey is often the reward. Anyone who finds the hidden cache described in the poem can claim a 3D printed Secret Trust Adventure commemorative medallion from the box.
Week 6 Challenge
Your quest to find the treasure is nearing its conclusion. Here are the four steps for completing this week’s challenge:
- Visit White Chimneys.
- Listen to one of my favorite songs en route.
- Search the main courtyard for the đź”·s.
- Solve this equation: (đź”· – 1) Ă· 2 =
Address
5117 Lincoln Hwy
Gap, PA 17527
Hours of Operation
Saturday, April 24 – 7 a.m. to noon (There’s a wedding on Saturday beginning at noon. The grounds will be closed to the general public for the rest of the day.)
Sunday, April 25 – 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (If you like line dancing come after 4 pm for Grillin’ & Chillin’ Sunday Line Dance. Admission is $6. The grill will be hot and patio open.)
Monday through Friday – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Because this also a private residence, please limit your search to the main garden around the fountain on the south side of the Pergola. The area is highlighted in red in the image below.
Claiming the Treasure
Don’t forget that to unlock the final hiding place, you need a decoder paper. Get yours when you become a member of the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County. Click here to join.
If you have not yet completed Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, or Week 5 of the Secret Trust Adventure, now is the time to do so. To stay competitive, you must have all six challenges completed by Friday, April 30, because the final challenge releases the next morning at 7 am on Saturday, May 1.
To claim the $200 filled mini-chest next week, the winning team must find the hidden cache (contact info will be located inside it) and have the correct GPS digits as revealed throughout the seven challenges. The prize cannot be claimed until Saturday, May 1.
Never miss a clue. Sign up for email updates so you don’t miss next week’s final clues and challenges.
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What is White Chimneys?
With dates as early as 1701, elegant White Chimneys stands in eastern Lancaster County as a timely witness to over 300 years of American history. Meticulously designed formal European gardens, the 16 column pergola, and imported Italian marble fountains are reminiscent of a romantic time gone by the wayside in today’s modern pace.
The 1800s tobacco barn is climate controlled and is ADA compliant. We are honored to host many life celebrations such as weddings, reunions, and anniversaries.
History & White Chimneys
1600s
As an early colonial settlement far away from the rigors and intolerance of European religious life, the possibility of religious freedom was a whispered hope among innumerable believers, simply running, constantly escaping the unforgiving arm of the governing Church. In 1681, a vast property spanning millions of acres was given to William Penn, the renegade son of Sir Admiral William Penn, Sr., as repayment for a maritime debt owed to the Admiral by the British Crown. This land was quickly known as “Penn’s Woods,” present-day Pennsylvania. William Penn found purpose in the Quaker faith and thus began his “Holy Experiment” as he invited all persecuted sects to come, settle the land and live out their lives in peace. Amish, Mennonites, Brethren, Quakers, French Huguenots, and Puritans flocked to the New World. Little did they know of the battles ahead!
William Penn’s reputation preceded him as he paved the way for these seekers of freedom. One of his first treaties in 1698 was with the Native Americans along the well-traveled Minquas trail. This was located approximately 60 miles west of Philadelphia at a naturally occurring “gap in the hills.” Back in Europe, prospective settlers had to undergo a rigorous screening process, proving themselves to be of “good moral character” and having the financial means to obtain a portion of “Penn’s Woods.”
1700s
Upon William Penn’s departure back to England, some of his fellow Quaker church members began to move into the “Gap In The Hills” valley, living out the first treaty began by William Penn. Log cabins and stone cottages began to dot the untouched landscape. A simple stone house originally occupied by Francis Jones was one of the first in the now famed “Gap In The Hills.” By 1759, Francis’s granddaughter Faithful Richardson had married Lancaster judge Henry Slaymaker, son of Mathias Schliermachier, and moved into the small stone cottage. Eventually, after changing hands a few times, they purchased the stone house on June 2, 1779, and thus began the next 200 years of successive additions to the home.
Many great visitors passed along the heavily traveled road from Philadelphia to Lancaster and stopped at White Chimneys. On July 31, 1777, Congress commanded Marquis De Lafayette as Major General. The next day, he met George Washington and began a life-long deep friendship. They wintered together at the now famed Valley Forge that year of 1777.
1800s
As the homestead grew with the colonies, Henry Slaymaker added the first addition to the colonial house, followed by his son, Amos, with the front and southern addition in 1807. During this period of expansion, the bright newly-painted white chimneys glistened in the sparkling sunlight, and Hannah Slaymaker called out to her mother, declaring the beauty of the “White Chimneys.” The name was a perfect fit and has never lost its’ charm since that day!
Many years and battles passed as General Lafayette dedicated his life to the young America’s cause. His love of constitutional liberty made him more at home in America than in his own country of France, where he was even at one point placed in exile by Napoleon. Invited by President Monroe in 1824, the General was honored in the 24 states as he was celebrated as a national hero. During this trip in 1825, he spent the night at White Chimneys, most likely visiting his old travel paths. In honor of General Lafayette, the new 2020 Bridal Lounge boasts classic French Rococo style with modern amenities for your most special day.
1900s
Finally, the last addition was completed in 1923 with the most western wing. Generations passed at White Chimneys, and the homestead took on various ventures such as a toll house stop, stage line stop, and tobacco farming. On December 20, 1974, the White Chimneys mansion and property were listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a “fine example of a Southeast Pennsylvania” type of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. In 1999, the White Chimneys property gained further protection as a granted easement to the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster. After spending most of the last century in quiet repose, the Homestead is now ready for you to experience the wonders and simplicity of early American life.
We’ve enjoyed the search. At the end of this project, could you please go week by week and give me the logic of what we should have done with what we found.
I sure can. Look for a post in the week after the $200 prize is claimed.