In the summer of 2024, a rat mosaic appeared on the gatehouse in Cal Anderson park. Glass tiles depict a rat with a gold halo, a sacred heart, and a trans pride flag, along with the text "Hot Rat Summer". It has been given the nickname Saint Rat. The mosaic is a symbol of trans rights and resilience, and has inspired countless works of art. When the city covered it up with gray paint, the struggle for Saint Rat's preservation quickly became a community effort.
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The original mosaic has been covered and uncovered multiple times over the years, and additional mosaics have been added and removed. At the time of cache placement, there are three visible mosaics in a triptych: "Community is Mother, Community is Love, Community is our Savior."
If the Saint Rat (Hot Rat Summer is Eternal) mosaic is still visible when you find this cache, please share a photo of it and help her live on in digital immortality! If she has been covered, please admire her in the photos, and keep her always in your heart.
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This cache is too small for swag, but please feel free to leave offerings at the Saint Rat shrine below the mosaic. If you wish to visit the mosaic up close, please do not enter the water: there is a paved area behind the gatehouse where you can easily step up.
Photo sources: Original_Director483 on Reddit, hotratsummereternal on Instagram, Wikimedia Commons