Meadows Trading Post Checkers Board

[WannaBeImagineer]

Hey all, I'm not sure if anyone has ever posted the story about this checkers board so I thought I would.

I was recently at the Fort, November 17th - 21st, and I planned on posting a full TR once I got back, but you know how it is, things got busy at work and I never got around to it, but I want to at least tell you about this story I heard...

One day during our trip my girlfriend and I were in the Meadows Trading Post and decided to play some checkers. I'm sure everyone has see the set:

Well midway through our game a Cast member walked up, a gentlemen that looked to be in his 60s or so. He started talking to us, and asked us if we like the checkers board. Then he told us how he made the original checkers board that was on the back porch of the Meadows Trading Post back in the 70s! Awesome right, well it gets better...

On Sept. 11, 2001 he was re-building the checkers board to move it inside, well we all know what happened that day. So since he was working on the board he made a sort of time capsule inside the checker board and sealed a newspaper that showed the 9/11 attack on the front page inside it! Can you believe that? Not only is that checkers board great looking, and has Musket Mickey on it, but its also preserving some U.S. history in it!

I'm just sorry i can't remember the Cast member's name, I believe it was Bill but I’m not sure, I looked for him the rest of the trip though but never saw him again. Sorry if everyone already knew about it but I had never heard it before, and thought it was pretty incredible.

 

[Born 2 Fish]

what a vey cool story,
thanks for sharing.

 

[Lil' Lisa]

.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Hey- I arrived at the Fort on the day you left!

I'm sure you must have done some looking around down by the Settlement, right?

I have never heard that story about the checkerboard.

But, it's so weird that I believe it.

Was this guy dressed as a castmember?

TCD

 

[DaveInTN]

Very cool!

 

[SC DAD of 2]

Thanks for sharing the story, that's good to know.

When you find time, how about give us a nice long

trip report please. Thanks.

 

[WannaBeImagineer]

Hey my first multi quote...haha

Hey- I arrived at the Fort on the day you left!

I'm sure you must have done some looking around down by the Settlement, right?

I have never heard that story about the checkerboard.

But, it's so weird that I believe it.

Was this guy dressed as a castmember?

TCD

Man just missed ya...

Yeah we did some snooping around all over but honestly we never found anything too interesting, which was very disappointing. I'm looking foward to hear if you found anything!

I did tried to find the old swamp trail and boardwalk again but my co-explorer was a fan of the thick brush so we had to turn back. I can tell you that its a lot more over grown than a few years ago!

As far as the checkers board, I agree the story caught me off guard, so much so I didn't think to look at the guys name on his shirt, but yes he was dressed in cast member maintenance type clothes.

Thanks for sharing the story, that's good to know.

When you find time, how about give us a nice long

trip report please. Thanks.

No problem, I'm going to work on the trip report, I've always wanted to post one and now that I have the pictures on my computer it shouldn't be to bad.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Hey my first multi quote...haha



Man just missed ya...

Yeah we did some snooping around all over but honestly we never found anything too interesting, which was very disappointing. I'm looking foward to hear if you found anything!

I did tried to find the old swamp trail and boardwalk again but my co-explorer was a fan of the thick brush so we had to turn back. I can tell you that its a lot more over grown than a few years ago!

As far as the checkers board, I agree the story caught me off guard, so much so I didn't think to look at the guys name on his shirt, but yes he was dressed in cast member maintenance type clothes.

I did see one interesting new thing, which I will post some photos of in my trip report. But it was in the area behind the Settlement Trading Post, and not in the area of River Country.

I suspect that there really isn't going to be much going on in the River Country area until after the new barn is built. I checked the SFWMD website, and it looks like they have asked for some plan revisions and details, so the permit still hasn't been issued.

The boardwalk from the old swamp trail is gone. I looked for it earlier this year, including wading out into the lake just to be sure, and it is gone.

When do you think you will be back at the Fort?

It would be fun to meet up for a walking tour.

And, please go ahead and at least post some of your photos.

I know a lot of us would like to see them.

TCD

 

[WannaBeImagineer]

I did see one interesting new thing, which I will post some photos of in my trip report. But it was in the area behind the Settlement Trading Post, and not in the area of River Country.

I suspect that there really isn't going to be much going on in the River Country area until after the new barn is built. I checked the SFWMD website, and it looks like they have asked for some plan revisions and details, so the permit still hasn't been issued.

The boardwalk from the old swamp trail is gone. I looked for it earlier this year, including wading out into the lake just to be sure, and it is gone.

When do you think you will be back at the Fort?

It would be fun to meet up for a walking tour.

And, please go ahead and at least post some of your photos.

I know a lot of us would like to see them.

TCD

I saw they have some comments the engineer will have to address but it didn’t' look like much, which means we probably won't see any good plans being submitted. I agree though, they will build the new TCD barn before they start anything else. On another note though I do think we will see some type of plans for the river country area at some point, there is way to much going on over there they'll have to get a SFWMD permit.

I remember your report about the swamp trail I just wanted to take a look for myself lol. I've got some pictures I'll post in my trip report which I’m working on now so keep an eye out.

I'm not sure about our next trip, we were thinking maybe in February but I'll let you know. I'm definitely down for a walking tour with the man TCD!

WBI

 

[WannaBeImagineer]

If anyone is interested I got my trip report going:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2608428

 

[Mmketeer]

Hey all, I'm not sure if anyone has ever posted the story about this checkers board so I thought I would.

I was recently at the Fort, November 17th - 21st, and I planned on posting a full TR once I got back, but you know how it is, things got busy at work and I never got around to it, but I want to at least tell you about this story I heard...

One day during our trip my girlfriend and I were in the Meadows Trading Post and decided to play some checkers. I'm sure everyone has see the set:

Well midway through our game a Cast member walked up, a gentlemen that looked to be in his 60s or so. He started talking to us, and asked us if we like the checkers board. Then he told us how he made the original checkers board that was on the back porch of the Meadows Trading Post back in the 70s! Awesome right, well it gets better...

On Sept. 11, 2001 he was re-building the checkers board to move it inside, well we all know what happened that day. So since he was working on the board he made a sort of time capsule inside the checker board and sealed a newspaper that showed the 9/11 attack on the front page inside it! Can you believe that? Not only is that checkers board great looking, and has Musket Mickey on it, but its also preserving some U.S. history in it!

I'm just sorry i can't remember the Cast member's name, I believe it was Bill but I’m not sure, I looked for him the rest of the trip though but never saw him again. Sorry if everyone already knew about it but I had never heard it before, and thought it was pretty incredible.

Wow, that's an amazing story and a great little tib bit too! Thanks for sharing!