The Jewel Box, a Virtual Reward 2.0 Virtual Cache

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St. Louis, Missouri has a plethora of world-renown monuments, landmarks and institutions, from the Gateway Arch to Anheuser-Busch Brewery to the St. Louis Zoo. Forest Park houses the Zoo, along with the St. Louis Art Museum, the Missouri History Museum, The Muny, the McDonnell Planetarium, Steinberg Skating Rink, as well as two golf courses and a variety of other sports fields.

But there’s a gem hidden in plain sight that many park-goers drive past, perhaps with a glance over to its green-framed windows, and wonder what this glass building is, before continuing on their way to other attractions in Forest Park: The Jewel Box.

The Jewel Box is an art deco design greenhouse, made up of over 4,000 plate glass windows, most of which are framed by copper with a verdigris patina. Its construction consists of “five stepped, composition-covered wood roofs with clerestories, rather than a regular glass roof, in order to prevent damage from frequent hailstorms”. Eight fixed arches carry the structure’s weight with triangular trusses sitting between every other arch. The vestibule entrance is made of limestone, with decorative flowers above the doorways.

Built at a cost of $125,000 in 1935, the Jewel Box underwent a year-long, $3.5 million renovation in 2002. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. Today, the Jewel Box still serves as greenhouse and can be rented out for weddings and other functions.

TO LOG THIS VIRTUAL

Please use the ‘Message this owner’ link at the top of the geocaching page or, if using the geocaching app, tap the Log button and select the ‘Send Answers’ option to submit your answers. Please do not post answers in your logs, even if encrypted. Finds that do not conform to logging requirements will be deleted.

Four waypoints have been provided and you will need to visit each to obtain information from various signs. You may visit the waypoints in any order you choose. There is a paved pathway leading to all waypoints. The whole journey shouldn't take more than about thirty minutes to complete. This virtual has a higher than usual DT because of the number of questions involved and the photo requirement.

Groups may elect one of their members to submit answers for their whole team, but I would appreciate the messenger noting who all is in the group so I don't delete a log from someone because I didn't receive answers from them. Individual or group photos are also acceptable. For those who do not post a photo because they are with a group, please indicate this in your Found It log.

While I encourage you to go inside and enjoy the interior of the Jewel Box, it is not necessary to enter the building to answer the questions. If you do wish to go inside, there is a $1 admission fee. The Jewel Box is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm; Saturday, 9:00 am – 11:00 am; Sunday, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm. If you choose to attempt this virtual outside of Jewel Box hours, please note that Forest Park’s hours are from 6:00 am – 10:00 pm.

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VIRTUAL QUESTIONS

Sundial

Please note that you should obtain your information from the sundial here.

1. By whom was the monument erected?
2. In what year was it erected?
3. To whose memory was it erected?

Informational sign

1. When was the Jewel Box dedicated?
2. How many panes of glass were broken in Forest Park’s greenhouses in the 1938 hailstorm?
3. How many panes of glass were broken in the Jewel Box in the same storm?
4. There are four names credited on this sign. What are they?
   • The artist’s name?
   • The president’s name?
   • The division engineer’s name?
   • The aerial photographer’s name?

St. Francis of Assisi

1. What year was this sculpture presented to the City of St. Louis?
2. In whose memory was it given?
3. What is the name of the sculptor?

The Jewel Box

Please note: You do not need to enter the building to answer these questions. You can look through the doors to find the answers to questions two and three.

1. How many sunflowers grace the top of the stone building entryway?
2. Inside the foyer are three quotations in gold. What are the names of those being quoted?
   • Prophets of fragrance, beauty, joy, and song.
   • To me the meanest flower that blows can give thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.
   • To cultivate a garden is to walk with God.
3. There is a glass informational sign in the foyer which gives a brief history of the Jewel Box. What is the official name of the Jewel Box?

PHOTO REQUIREMENT

A photo is required to be posted either with your log or to be sent in with your answers, as allowed by Groundspeak rules. While you do not have to have your face in the photo, I’d love to see your smile when you experience the Jewel Box. If you do not wish to be in your photo, please put something – such as a GPS unit, your thumb, a hat – in the picture so it is identifiable as an original image.

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Virtual Rewards 2.0 - 2019/2020

This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between June 4, 2019 and June 4, 2020. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 2.0 on the Geocaching Blog.