Beech Tree News Network

Whose back?  The geocachers are back.   The geo-who?  You remember, the geocachers.   They came to Morgantown- Butler County last year about this time.  Oh yeah, I remember.  Those were the people who wandered around staring at their phones the whole time and seemed to be constantly lost.   Yeah, now you remember.   Okay, remind me about geocaching again. 

Geocaching is a recreational pastime whereby geocachers hide containers outside and post the location (using global positioning system coordinates (GPS coordinates) on the internet.  Other geocachers use a GPS device (these days, most often a smart phone) to locate the containers.  It’s an electronic treasure hunt …. without the treasure.  Geocache containers range in size from a 5-gallon bucket to the size of a pencil eraser.  Almost all geocache containers have some sort of paper log that geocachers sign when they find the cache.  Caches are logged on the internet at geocaching.com

There are over 4.2 million active geocaches hidden worldwide in over 191 countries on all 7 continents (even Antarctica)  There are a few geocaches in outer space.  

The heart of geocaching is the GPS satellite system.  Up until 2000 the government (for reasons of national security) configured the GPS system with what is known as selective availability.  The public could use the system but it wasn’t very precise.  On May 2, 2000, the government “flipped the switch” ending selective availability and increasing the accuracy of the system to the general public.  The next day the first geocache was hidden and geocaching was born. 

May 2 is known in the geocaching world as “Blue Switch Day”.   May 2, 2026 will be the 26th anniversary of the end of selective availability.   To mark the occasion there will be a geocaching event held at the Charles T. Black Park in Morgantown.  There was an event last year about the same time.  Like last year, the name of the event is GeoWoolsock which is a continuing theme of a parody of larger geocaching events  Geocachers from several states will gather for a short fellowship meeting and thereafter travel throughout Butler County to search for geocaches.  Dick Deye, the organizer of the event states that there will be approximately 30 new geocaches hidden throughout the area to go along with the 70 or so caches already here from times past. 

To highlight the event, Butler County Judge Executive Tim Flener and Morgantown Mayor Billy Phelps have signed a Proclamation proclaiming Saturday May 2, 2026 as GeoWoolsock Day in Morgantown and Butler County. 

Proclamation

Geocaching is a popular family activity for all ages and can be enjoyed year-round.  Any members of the public who are interested in learning about geocaching or participating, are welcome to attend the event at 9:00 am on Saturday May 2, 2026 at pavilion number two at the Charles T. Black City Park.  There is no cost to attend and participate.