The Allison Wonderland
The Pioneer Press Treasure Hunt is part of the St. Paul Winter Carnival every year. While the prize can only go to one winner, The Allison Wonderland is dedicated to the community spirit of treasure hunting. Here, not only will you find out about the Pre-Dig Gig, the Rehash Bash, and various other social events, but we also discuss the clues here in a team effort to decipher them (albeit not always successfully). This is a place to discuss ideas respectfully, report on what's happening "on the ground", and provide each other with useful information. This is a public group so expect that anything posted will be seen by everyone.
Updated: 1 hour 46 min ago
Re: Warning from StPaul Park & Rec
" Before it gets hotter" (Etna Street), "line three bodies water" (Frost Lake, Atlantic (street), and Lake Phalen). Stay within Frost Lake Park (it has the lake and ballfields and swing sets), in the bower (trees area) but not too close to Etna Street.
Re: MAPS!
Best interpretation for Clue #6 that I've seen!
Re: Warning from StPaul Park & Rec
Well, Matt Bennett had picked Swede early on and has built up 210 points on it, but has since switched to Bruce Vento. Do you still want to switch as catching up is unlikely at this point?
Re: Clue 9 2020
So you have to dig around in a porta potty?! I think you would definitely want some rubber boots and a (hazmat) suit to do that!
Re: Warning from StPaul Park & Rec
Oh, and for grins, 10 on Frost Lake Park.
Re: Warning from StPaul Park & Rec
I wondered about this in post #263. I thought if the medallion WASN"T in IM park, and the PP wanted people to stay out of the sacred mounds area, the PP would announce that. But, since they didn't (at first) I thought that meant the medallion was there.
Re: Warning from StPaul Park & Rec
No one picked Swede? In that case, 10 for Swede for me.
Alex
Alex
Re: Clue 9 2020
I wonder if "a park lit up some nights" is directing you to a small park that is lit up some nights, and not just a part of a larger park that is lit up. "Before it gets hotter" could just mean before that park is on everyone's list and therefore the "hot pick", line (up) those (3) bodies of water and that park will be within that line and the site of the treasure.
Re: Warning from StPaul Park & Rec
Wow, that's a bit of a game changer. At the time of this posting Mounds was still tied for the lead with Phalen in the Park Pick Pool with 40 votes each. Here is where we were at:
Mounds - 40
Phalen - 40
Battle Creek - 37
Harriet - 30
Highland - 27
Bruce Vento - 25
Central Park - 10
Irvine - 10
Lower Landing - 10
Como - 7
Acorn - 2
Island Lake - 2
Re: PPTH warning
Oh yea, that would totally work at Phalen too as you would have to go down to the most southern part of the park to take a swing at the tennis courts.
Re: Clue 9 2020
My interpretation is that in town means in St. Paul while swing down means go to the southern part of the park. Phalen has an outdoor hockey rink nearby with lights that would be on some nights. It could also be a reference to the Christmas light display they have hosted there, though I prefer a present tense explanation. Before it gets hotter, possibly suggesting it is already hot, could mean away from Frost Ave. in the north and closer to Burnquist in the south. Within Phalen there is a sign talking about the Phalen Creek watershed. If you look at the water flowing out of the first three "bodies", Willow, Kohlman, and Gervais, there is an arrow (line) pointing right at the SE corner of the lake. And then it says it will be in your "sites". Right where there arrow is pointing there is an "OnSite" porta potty.
Re: Warning from StPaul Park & Rec
Thanks for sharing that announcement. There goes my park pick! I'd like to change it to 4 on Tony Schmidt, 5 on Kohlman, and 1 on BVNS.
Trout Brook
I don't live in MN and didn't make the trip to hunt this year, but I generally follow along. This year, I have had more time and have been thinking more carefully about the clues.
The case that is made for Phalen (see other posts on this forum) can also be made for Trout Brook with some changes:
Careful what flora you stomp - A section of that park is called trillium. You don't want to step on the trillium.
Impeach is about Jackson (street) who was sort of impeached and sort of not (read about it)
Clue four about herringbone/sawbones is about the nearby big cemetery
Street car line next to park similar to Phalen
There is water on the north side of the site and on the south side
Clue 9 is about Hill. Those train tracks at the site were his and they end nearby. The site used to have a natural rise before the tracks were built. The math thing has to do with the math and science school right next door.
But, I have the same problem with Trout Brook as I do with Phalen. I can't make clue 7 work. I feel like you have to be in lowertown near the Saints field to line up the sites.
So, do with this what you will.
The case that is made for Phalen (see other posts on this forum) can also be made for Trout Brook with some changes:
Careful what flora you stomp - A section of that park is called trillium. You don't want to step on the trillium.
Impeach is about Jackson (street) who was sort of impeached and sort of not (read about it)
Clue four about herringbone/sawbones is about the nearby big cemetery
Street car line next to park similar to Phalen
There is water on the north side of the site and on the south side
Clue 9 is about Hill. Those train tracks at the site were his and they end nearby. The site used to have a natural rise before the tracks were built. The math thing has to do with the math and science school right next door.
But, I have the same problem with Trout Brook as I do with Phalen. I can't make clue 7 work. I feel like you have to be in lowertown near the Saints field to line up the sites.
So, do with this what you will.
Re: Clue 9 2020
I'm stuck on something with regards to Phalen:
While I agree that most of the clues seem to fit that southern area in the map above, in clue 7, the first two lines really sound like you have to go to lowertown and be near the Saints stadium (If you're in town, swing on down to a park lit up some nights). I interpret the second two lines as you have to line up the "sites" when there are not leaves on the trees (before it gets hot). I really can't square clue 7 with Phalen/BV.
While I agree that most of the clues seem to fit that southern area in the map above, in clue 7, the first two lines really sound like you have to go to lowertown and be near the Saints stadium (If you're in town, swing on down to a park lit up some nights). I interpret the second two lines as you have to line up the "sites" when there are not leaves on the trees (before it gets hot). I really can't square clue 7 with Phalen/BV.
Re: MAPS!
acpickerign, I think that was a very astute noodle. Impressive sleuthing!
Re: Clue #8 - 2020
I agree.There are two parks where you can see these “sites” they mention.
Re: MAPS!
There's an old streetcar that ran between Lake Como and Lake Phelan, Though rather than going straight like Wheelock park way does, It went down Dale, and At Summit started a steep decline into downtown St. Paul (plummet), before following E7th street and climbing the Bluff, proceeding up arcade and Forest streets before reaching its terminus at Lake Phelan. It seemed odd to me that something might plummet before it got to the bluff, but if you follow this track (11 on the map) - couple with its circuitous rout and starting and stopping like a streetcar would it seemed to make sense.
Once at the summit, it did quite plummet
Before it got to the bluff
Starting and stopping, winding and hopping
It will eventually lead to the stuff
https://old.trolleyride.org/History/PDFs/TCRT_St._Paul_map_1947.pdf
