Silver Circus

In 1904 Bert Silver started tent shows and had the first motorized circus in the United States, with four touring cars, four trucks and an advance car. Two of the trucks were built by the Tower Truck Company of Greenville. The Silver Circus was headquartered in Crystal on what is now a township park overlooking Crystal Lake in Montcalm County. Bert and his entire family played in the Silver Family Concert Band as part of the circus and also in concerts.

In 1916 the circus had to be disbanded because the tents and trucks were confiscated by the U.S. Government for use in World War I. When the circus disbanded the family settled in Greenville.

Clues…

Find the park that now occupies the site that was once home to the Silver Circus. Check out the tree near the stone BBQ.

Wood Duck Letterbox

This letterbox is located at the Montcalm Community College Nature Trails. The trails are open to the public — see their web site for details.

Clues…

Find the Wood Duck between Twin Lakes and the Meadow in a stump 46 at 135 from 52.

The Roadside Table

Find the Michigan Historical Marker depicted in the photo below. Use the text on the marker to decipher the clues and find the letterbox.

Clues…

6-10 15-2 2-21 13-9 2-2 4-2 12-18 11-26 16-10 11-2 10-19 7-5 2-10 1-7 5-23 14-8 10-11 15-10 7-1 5-18 3-19 12-12

14-1 4-14 4-12 13-24 3-5 9-19 12-9 6-3 13-15 16-1 14-12 6-24 13-1 4-6 16-6 8-20 11-1 15-23 10-16 15-7 4-26 16-5 2-27 8-4 3-17

15-21 6-5 3-24 7-4 2-18 7-11 1-16 12-11 16-4 4-9 7-22 5-5 15-13 9-7 5-20 14-15 6-2 14-13 11-7

1-12 4-14 4-13 13-4 4-8 8-22 12-23 9-9 6-7 11-6 3-25 10-5 13-2 7-10 2-14 9-14 8-3 14-27 5-1 4-18 6-26 14-2 5-12 3-14 5-13 14-7 3-7 12-5

Flyin’ Down the Highway

 
This letterbox was placed as a part of the I-94 Traffic Crawl letterbox series. This series was started to populate the I-94 corridor between Billings, MT and Port Huron, MI with letterboxes suitable for travelers. For more information and a complete listing of the boxes in this series or if you are interested in planting a box, join us at the Freewayletterboxing Yahoo! Group.

My Letterboxes in this Series…

• Welcome to Michigan!
• Miles From Our Home
• Flyin’ Down the Highway

Getting There…

This box is planted at Grand Mere State Park, which is reached via I-94 exit 22. It is approximately 1 mile from the exit to the park entrance.

Clues…

50 degrees from the quintessential quercus alba, follow the sandy path, opting for the straight-way when forced to decide. 15 paces. 315 degrees. Hollow stump.

Miles From Our Home

 
This letterbox was placed as a part of the I-94 Traffic Crawl letterbox series. This series was started to populate the I-94 corridor between Billings, MT and Port Huron, MI with letterboxes suitable for travelers. For more information and a complete listing of the boxes in this series or if you are interested in planting a box, join us at the Freewayletterboxing Yahoo! Group.

My Letterboxes in this Series…

• Welcome to Michigan!
• Miles From Our Home
• Flyin’ Down the Highway

Background…

This box was planted on our way home from a trip we took to Chicago to see one of our favorite bands, the Cowboy Junkies. The box name is a song title by the Junkies, which we found fitting as we were traveling “miles from our home” when we planted this letterbox.

No one in sight for fifty miles,
Sleeping fields sigh as I glide across their spines.
If I can just reach the crest of that hill,
This whole day will tumble, out the night will spill.

The moon hangs like a question mark,
Pale as milk, bold as a promise.
When will you share these sights with us?
When will we hold you in our arms?

Getting There…

This box is planted at Warren Woods State Park, which is reached via I-94 exit 6. It is approximately 2.5 miles from the exit to the park entrance.

Clues…

From the back of the loop, walk the dirt road at 20 degrees, keeping an eye for a shaggy-barked tree standing at the right edge of the road. Red Pollard says it is a duo, but from where he stands, the Stilt insists it is a triple… guess it just depends on your perspective. Fifty paces further along, change course and follow the small footpath to your right. At the “T”, brave the unknown and continue toward the ravine, but only until you are about to stumble across the fallen Wilt. Find Red laying sidekick over the hiding crevice.