@mcgmarauders, NoVAGO feature article writer

Most of us know that modern-day geocaching started on May 2, 2000, when the great blue switch was activated. Twenty-four satellites around the globe were suddenly accessible, making GPS technology available to the general public.

However, did you know that the origins of geocaching actual date back to 1854 when the “game” of letterboxing was invented?

It all began in Dartmoor, Devon, England when a well-known Dartmoor guide (James Perrott) placed a container for visiting cards at Cranmere Pool on the northern moor in 1854. Hikers on the moors began to leave a letter or postcard inside a box along the trail (sometimes addressed to themselves, sometimes a friend or relative)—hence the name “letterboxing”.

Interest in letterboxing in the US is generally considered to have started with a feature article in the Smithsonian magazine in April 1998. Geocaching.com added Letterbox Hybrid caches on May 7, 2001.

More information on Letterboxing can be found at Letterboxing: the Secret Scavenger Hunt Game : 12 Steps (with Pictures) – Instructables. But, be warned – it’s a lot tougher to play than Geocaching!!