This puzzle was originally put together by macleod1 back in 2006. As you can imagine, things have changed. Businesses come and go. Murals are painted over. Statues and train cars are added. BUT… the library is still there, and this cache still sits on a shelf, waiting for you to find it.
We have updated it with current info, as of June 2021. We are frequently in the area and will try to keep an eye on any changes. If you notice that something has changed, unbeknownst to us, please click on “Message this owner” and let us know. Now on to the puzzle:
The coordinates above point to the cache location, but that won’t do you any good until you have the needed info. The cache is hidden in the NON-FICTION section of the Ashe County Public Library. Ah… but where? That’s for you to figure out with a bit of observation around town. This should be a fun cache in which the whole family can participate (young ones may even learn a bit about how the library works).
The goal is to fill in the following blanks:
A B C . D E F
___ ___ ___ . ___ ___ ___
Doing so will give you the Dewey Decimal Number of a book in the Ashe County Public Library. Once you find it, you'll know what to do.
You can begin at any of the waypoints. They are listed in alphabetic order, but that may not be the most expeditious way to solve this puzzle. You will not be required to enter any of the businesses during your adventure, but you may want to.
A = You are standing in front of a restaurant / pub. How many lanterns are hanging on the wall outside this establishment? (Note: The answer to E can also be found here.)
B = On the NW corner of the intersection is a park bench and a statue of some kids trying to retrieve a cat from a tree. How many kids are there?
C = There is a long mural painted above this business’ entrance and windows. How many buckets of paint are in the mural.
D = Painted on the side of this caboose you’ll find the name of the company that owned it. The abbreviation above the name is N & __. This letter is what you need here. (Note: See that building up the hill? That’s the library!)
E = You’re now back at the restaurant / pub from A above. Or maybe you didn’t leave yet. In any case, on the wall below the left hand window, you will find the original name of the business etched in the cement in the middle of the painted bricks. The fifth letter in the name is what you want.
F = Public restrooms in the middle of downtown?! What a novel idea! There is a mural painted on the south side of this little alcove. What is the denomination of the church in this mural? The first letter of the denomination is what you need.
With any luck, you should have three numbers and three letters. With this information, you can go to the second floor of the library at the listed coords, and use the Dewey Decimal System to find what you’re looking for.
Library hours are currently:
Monday – Thursday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Friday & Saturday 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Closed Sundays
Ashe County is located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in the northwestern corner of North Carolina, bordering Tennessee and Virginia. With one location and an outreach vehicle, the Ashe County Public Library serves a population of about 27,000. Their collection numbers more than 56,000 items, including books, audiobooks, movies, and music CD’s. The friendly library staff does an outstanding job and has received an excellent rating for customer service.
This “book cache” was placed with permission from Jim McQueen, County Librarian.