2017 White Bear Lake Manitou Days Medallion Hunt

This first clue, as usual, welcomes everyone to the game! But, two subtle hints to the medallion’s location were also included.  “Here it begins” referred to the Legend of the White Bear, from which our city is named – which is set on nearby Manitou Island. “Sweet at sugar” referred to the fact that Manitou Island area was once a very popular spot for collecting maple syrup – as noted in several historical records. The second stanza put the medallion on public land.  The words “rose” and “aimlessly” also start a trend of using words from a nearby historical plaque on the legend of White Bear Lake to end each stanza (tipped off in Clue 3).

Just southwest of the medallion’s site on Lake Avenue is a home with the words “Prairie Sanctuary” printed on it, which was tipped off in this clue with the words “sanctum of grass.”  Homes (“structures”) exist opposite of the medallion’s location from White Bear Lake (“object of blue”).  The medallion was hidden near a wooden footbridge made out of cedar, very close to a giant cottonwood tree, and a plaque that speaks of the elm tree that is part of the legend of White Bear Lake.  The second stanza hints at bench along Lake Avenue near the dog beach.  It is dedicated to Dale Ross Montgomery and has a large wooden inscription that reads, “If I had a nickel for every time my dog made me smile, I’d be a millionaire.” The word “rough” -- or “ruff”-- also tried to make a connection to dogs.  The last line of the clue also hinted that the medallion was hidden on the ground.

The first stanza referred to a very large and old cottonwood tree very near where the medallion was hidden.  We measured the circumference around the tree and, with a little math, found the diameter (“diametrical thought”) to be 96 inches! That is approximately 200 years old! The second stanza pointed to an ongoing device. A plaque titled “The Dakota Legend of White Bear Lake” could be found just steps from the medallion’s location and cottonwood tree mentioned earlier in the clue. Every written stanza for this hunt ended with a word from that plaque (“history...always seems to have the final word”).  The last two lines of the clue referred to the word “iris.”  The word means “rainbow” in Greek and is an organ of the eye (“enables inspection” & “things to be seen”).  The medallion was hidden beside a clump of wild iris on the edge of a marshy area of the park.

The first stanza hinted at the home of J.B. Tarbox, located on Manitou Island. “You are not privy to see” referred to the fact that the island is private and not accessible to visitors.  The name Tarbox itself was tipped off with “out of the box.” The cottage was designed in 1889 by Cass Gilbert, the man who also designed the Minnesota State Capitol building (“use your dome”).  Tarbox was a shoe manufacturer  (“use your shoes to buy shingles and screws”) and together with Gilbert created what is now considered to be the best example of “shingle-style” cottage.  The home was later moved from its original location to its current location by E.W. Peet (“some moss”).  The second stanza refers to the game Forbidden Island, developed by Matt Lecock and published by Gamewright in 2010. Working as a team (“cooperative game”), participants attempt to locate and airlift four treasures from a forbidden island before drowning (“avoid the deep”). The title of the game hints at nearby Manitou Island, which is private property and “forbidden” to the general public.

This first line refers to Benny Schmalzbauer, who founded Benny’s Barber Shop, and his legendary role of calling “ice out” on White Bear Lake for decades until his death in 2001. In a White Bear Press article from March 2017, the current ice out date keeper, retired Coldwell Banker-Burnet agent Jan Holtz, shared some secrets. On a cloudy day, she will look for ice out at Matoska Park from the Manitou Bridge (the article contained a picture of Schmalzbauer and Kraemer at the bridge as he was showing her the ropes).  The clincher for calling “ice out” is a clear St. Germain’s Bay on the other side of the lake (“yonder saint”).  As ice is melting and refreezing it can “sing” and the ice out date, a local day of celebration, changes from year to year.  The second stanza hinted at the Art Shanty Projects, which were set up to the north at Ramsey County Beach.  They could be seen from the medallion’s hiding place when we were planning this winter. They certainly can’t last long-term because of the warm weather melting the ice. Shanty was tipped off with “shant y​ou.”  The third line contained the words “well” and “double your view.”  Two water wells are located to the north of the site, just beyond a tree dedicated to Dawn Haldorson (“dawn’s rising”).

A high school yearbook is described in the first stanza.  In White Bear Lake, that book is called The Matoskan, revealing the name of the park in which the medallion was hidden.  The second half of the clue described the Erd-Geist two-story gazebo in the park with the words “eliminate walls and doors,” “all sides,” “shade,” and “take steps.”  The medallion was hidden south of the gazebo.

In January of 2009, the old island caretaker’s (“care, take her”) home was moved from Manitou Island to its new home on 6th Street, between Lake and Johnson Avenues. Water was pumped onto the site to create a thicker bank of ice on which the house could travel (“natural paving”) and it was able to support the 60 ton home (“withstood caving”).  The second stanza referred to the two Pokemon Go “gyms” found at Matoska Park.  One gym is located at the historical placard used to craft all of clues for this hunt and another at the bench mentioned in clue two. In the game, one of the three teams is called Instinct, and is represented by the color yellow. Both of the words “instinct” and “yellow” are mentioned in the clue.

This clue took hunters on a 939-step trek down 4th street (“count the stanzas” to arrive at four) from last year’s site to Matoska Park, citing many landmarks along the way in the order that they would be passed (“hints in succession”).  The walk begins at the “old slab” in Railroad Park used in the final clue of last year’s hunt. “Bookin’” pointed to Lake Country Booksellers; “the dude” to Chicos; “Jewels under glass” to Joel B. Sherburne Jewelers; “Ignore the ban” told hunters to cross Banning Street; “Key” pointed to Keys Restaurant; “Gone gold” to the Alchemist bar; “Roar” and “unarmed” referred to the Armory, which is now ran by the Lion’s Club and no longer functioning as a traditional armory; “Keep on cookin’” brought hunters across Cook Avenue; “White diamonds among green” referred to a style of window shutters found at 2242 4th Street; and “Fruity font” referred to a pineapple fountain found in the front of 2256 4th Street.  From here a “Do Not Enter” sign could be seen the end of 4th Street.  Finally, artificial pine trees could be found at 4763 Lake Avenue, both near the house and near the lake. Those 939 steps should have brought you to the edge of the park where you could see a stormwater drainage area (“sluice”), on a side of which the medallion was hidden.

The first stanza spoke up the legend of the legend of white bear, placing the medallion at Matoska Park.  The second half of the clue made mention of the dog beach on the other side of the park.  The medallion was hidden between two paved paths and two flags: one atop the gazebo and the other in the yard of 4763 Lake Avenue. “Grounded” instructed hunters to look for the medallion on the ground. Lastly, hunters are again brought back to considering a hint from Clue #3, the iris plant next to which the medallion was hidden.

Final directions to the 2017 treasure.