Treasure Hunt Sparks Curiosity and Interest in History
Family Embarks on a Clue-Solving Adventure Full of Intrigue and Fun
Beckie Maislin, an employee of St. Louis Kids, was invited to take her family on a real treasure hunt designed by the Double Key Treasure Hunt Society. Here’s what happened.
"Oh my God, it's the coolest thing; I think I'm going to faint," said Macie Maislin, 9.
Macie’s sister, Abbie, 11, wasn't so sure. "Maybe we should give this to the police," she said.
The girls were buzzing with excitement and concern about the box their father, David, had just stumbled upon in the ceiling above the family's laundry room. The dusty old box, labeled for a garage sale, contained a locked treasure box, a postcard, a sealed letter from "Victor Wellington," a newspaper, photographs, musical review and gazette, candle, stock certificate, and treasure hunt clues.
It was everything the family needed for a real-life treasure hunt. A sleepy Sunday just turned into a day of intrigue and exploration, courtesy of Wellington, a man who was in his prime near the turn of the 20th century and a member of the Double Key Treasure Hunt Society.
Legend holds that the society, founded in 1909, was created "to pass on the fun and excitement of treasure hunts to future generations." Today, Double Key Treasure Hunts continues the tradition by creating treasure hunt packages using real antique items from the mid 1800s to the early 1900s, said Malinda Terreri, owner of Double Key.
Wellington’s clues, more than 100 years old, lead the family to the Old Courthouse, Union Station, Aloe Plaza, Cathedral Basilica and Ted Drewes Frozen Custard.
The family started at the Old Courthouse, a building that's rich in historical significance but low on most kids' lists of "exciting places to go." On this Sunday, however, Abbie and Macie led the way into the courthouse with a giddy excitement about the prospect of finding a clue for their treasure hunt.
"Abbie had been on a third-grade field trip to the Old Courthouse, but this was a different experience because she realized there was an actual clue to our treasure hunt," Beckie Maislin, Abbie's mom, said. "After we discovered the clue, we had time to discover the other things that were at the Old Courthouse."
It took the family about four hours to solve their clues while exploring Aloe Plaza, Union Station, Cathedral Basilica and Ted Drewes. But that same day, the girls had all the information they needed to decipher their final clue and locate the secret key.
Abbie found the key, and Macie put it in the lock on the treasure chest. Nervous anticipation gave way to delight when the family finally unlocked the treasures Wellington had left for them.
While the girls enjoyed the treasure contained in the chest, the fun family experience was the best surprise, Beckie said.
"If you choose to go somewhere as a family, it's difficult to find something that everyone will enjoy, but this was different," she said. "We were all excited about the experience. I don't think we’ve ever experienced something like that where we're working together as a family to hunt for clues. It was neat to see the kids get involved like that."
For more information about Double Key Treasure Hunts, visit www.doublekeytreasurehunts.com or call (314) 566-5177. Double Key Treasure Hunts offers three authentic treasure hunt packages, ranging from a mini package to longer hunts that can be stretched throughout the summer. Each hunt includes a parent guidebook with tips and tricks for a successful treasure hunt.
One of the Treasure Hunt clues took the Maislin family to the Old Courthouse, where Macie (left), 9, and Abbie, 11, saw the landmark in a whole new way as they worked to find another missing piece of the day’s puzzle.
