The posted coordinates are the location of the first clue. You may park in any nearby parking stalls.
N ABº CD.EFG W HIJº KL.MNO - Just replace each letter in the coordinate puzzle with the appropriate number.
Your first clue is at the boyhood home of General Funston. You will be able to remain on the sidewalk outside of the fence and read the large information board about General Frederick Funston. General Funston died in 1N17.
Continue walking south on the sidewalk. When you get to the intersection, turn left to head east. Safely cross Washington St and continue east. See the State Farm building on the south side? The year at the top says 192L. This building used to be the Hill Brothers Dry Goods store.
Continue on the sidewalk to the Veterans Memorial Wall. Here you will see a great tribute to local veterans. There is also a virtual cache here. Can you solve it? As you look at the names on the wall, go to the Present Era. Look for the name Travis W. Buck in Column A, row F3.
Continue East until you get to the big clock on the left. There is an informative sign posted on the clock. The clock that is housed in this structure once stood atop the 124 foot high tower of the old Allen County Courthouse which was built in 190C.
Continue East on the sidewalk and go ahead and walk safely across Jefferson St. Now head north on the sidewalk. On the lamp posts there are placards with historic information on them. For this clue, you are looking for Iola Colborn. She lived 1/13/1832 - 1/2D/1911.
There is a historical marker on the front of the building that is now called The Treasure Chest. In 1905, when the building was built, the store was called Kress J & 10.
Continue to the corner. The building here is identified by a historical marker as having been J.W. Ballard Grain & Feed in the year 190H.
Now continue North across the street. One of the lamp posts in this block shows Forestine's. There, you could get 6 hamburgers for $1 or, as shown on the window in the picture, one hamburger for O0 cents.
You will now cross Jackson St., then Jefferson St. to walk westbound on the outer perimeter of the square. Are you lost yet? We hope not!
There is a lamp post with information on the 1st white woman in Kansas. Granny Cowden is buried west of town on HWY E4.
As you continue down the block, you will see another lamp post about Josiah Colborn. He lived 02/0M/1829 – 06/16/1904.
As you cross into the next block, the top of one of the buildings, way up high, it reads 19ALLENK9. This building was formerly Cashmire’s Hardware.
Continue on to the end of the block. Here you will see a historical marker that reads Colborn Dry Goods 188A.
If you turn south you will see the band stand in the courthouse lawn. Walk over to it and read the plaques at the steps. The Iola City Band has provided concerts at this site every summer since 1I18. (That is the letter i)
Now, standing where you are, look to the southwest. See the brick column with the lantern on top? Walk to it and read the plaque on the south side. The Eternal Flame of Freedom was dedicated by Post No. 1G.
For your final clue, stay where you are. Look at the top of the building across the street to the west. This building used to be a mortuary. Here you will see the letters AOUW. The year above that reads 188B.
You should now have the coordinates for the cache! The final cache is located just west of town in the cemetery where the Colborn family, the founders of Iola, and Granny Cowden are buried. As you pull in to the cemetery, approximately 75 yards to the north on the east side there is a monument dedicated to the Colborn family. However, the cache is not at the monument. Be respectful of the area and replace as found. Remember to trade even or trade up!
Hope you enjoyed a brief look at the place we call home! Special thanks to KoonsKachers for the inspiration of this cache!