| This is a three stage virtual cache that will take you on a short walking tour of downtown Rochester and the Mayo Clinic campus. The round trip distance is approximately 5 to 6 city blocks, and should take no longer than 30 minutes to complete. Don't forget to gather the information at each stage prior to moving on. The questions you'll need to answer are found below. |
Parking
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I would recommend parking once, and walking between the stages. Parking garages and on-street metered parking is available nearby. Parking is free after 5 p.m. and on weekends. Several parking options are provided as additional waypoints. |
Stage One
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Your journey begins at the Peace Fountain located on the east end of Rochester's Peace Plaza. The fountain stands 12 feet high and contains several life-sized interlocked bronze doves symbolizing the US states; the continents of the world; and the past, present and future of Rochester, MN.
To the north of the fountain is the Historic Chateau Theatre. Built in 1927, the Chateau was one of the most elaborate theatres built in Rochester in the early 1900s. The exterior sunburst design marquee is lit with 636 light bulbs. Its unique French Village decor includes interior balconies, turrets and, on the ceiling, stars in the night sky. The theatre closed in 1983.
At your feet is a unique design element of the plaza, which may or may not be visible in the winter depending on the amount of snow on the ground — a symbolic blue concrete "river" with flanking sandbars. The river surface incorporates recessed LED lighting which can be programmed to pulse from west to east, symbolically linking Mayo Clinic on the west to the downtown commercial area on the east. Along the edges of the Plaza are multiple "flying bird" light towers. These tall, green-covered, aluminum lighting structures include large triangular forms that are a metaphor for birds in flight coordinating with the river below.
After gathering the necessary information for question 1, proceed to stage two by following the "river" west towards Mayo Clinic. |
Stage Two
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As you reach the end of the "river" the large glass building towering over you is Mayo's Gonda Building. It rises 305 feet, and was completed in 2001. Stage two will be to your left (south) on Annenberg Plaza. You are looking for a large, multi-colored star at the center of the plaza embedded into the ground. The star, created from stone from around the world, provides a 360-degree view of Mayo Clinic. The difficulty in locating the star may vary depending upon the amount of snow on the ground. However, not vital for completing the virtual, it serves as a reference point for the rest of stage two.
Standing in the center of the star, to your east are the giant ornamental bronze doors of the Plummer Building. Each door weighs 4000 lbs, stands 16 ft high, and is 5½ in thick. The 'Closing of the Doors' has become a memorial to important historical events or a tribute to the memory of famous or influential people. Some events that have received this honor include the deaths of the Mayo brothers (1939), the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (1963), and most recently, in commemoration of the victims of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
To the immediate north of the star is the bronze sculpture "Inspiration". 21 bird shapes take flight wherever the winds may take them. In a spiral dance, each individual bird brushes against the next, giving reassurance and encouragement, as if to say, we can go higher!
Northwest of the bronze birds is the Mathew's Heritage Dome. The dome measures 36 feet in diameter and serves as an artistic and architectural highlight of the area. From inside, the dome provides several dramatic views of the downtown campus. Peeking through from the outside is far less dramatic as you will be looking down on a seating area next to the Clinic's cafeteria.
Before leaving for stage three make sure you've noted your answers for questions 2 and 3. |
Stage Three
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There are two ways to get to stage three. If you're visiting on a weekend or in the evening, walk around the Mayo building using the sidewalk. If you're visiting on a weekday before 5 p.m. go ahead and walk through the Gonda building. Feel free to linger a bit inside, taking in some of the sights.
Stage three lies west of the Gonda Building in the Feith Family Statuary Park. The Park contains the statues of Dr. William Worrall Mayo and his two sons, Drs. William James Mayo and Charles Horace Mayo. Also a statue of Mother Mary Alfred Moes is displayed next to the senior Dr. Mayo, representing the century-old partnership between Mayo Clinic and the Sisters of Saint Francis.
You'll find Will and Charlie resting on the steps. Have a seat next to them and take a picture. |
Questions
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Send me the answers to the following questions through my profile within a reasonable time after logging your find. Logs including the answers, even if encrypted, will be deleted without warning. Logs without accompanying answers and photo after a reasonable time period may also be deleted, but I will contact you first.
- There are three sides to the theatre marquee at stage one. Send me the complete text on any ONE of the three sides.***
- As you approach stage two, describe, in your own words, what the exterior of the Gonda building looks like and what makes it UNIQUE. Simply saying "glass" or "metal" is not what makes it unique.
- At stage two, what is the ceiling of the dome made out of? I'm looking for a two word description containing a LOCATION and a MATERIAL (e.g. Mexican Pottery).
- Upload your photo with Will and Charlie at stage three. A photo of your GPS or sheet of paper with your caching name on it is also ok. No faces are required in the photo. This is a new requiremet added June 1st, 2019. Logs without photos from this date onward will be deleted.
***The marquee text can and will be changed throughout the year depending on what events may be happening on the plaza during your visit. |
Virtual Reward
2017-2018
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This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between August 24, 2017 and August 24, 2018. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards on the Geocaching Blog. |