With Indiana Jones making his return to theaters for a limited run this fall, you may find your family seeking to replicate the globetrotting adventures of Indy. World travel for a family may be slightly out of reach in this day and age but Letterboxing provides the same treasure hunting experience on a local scale.
Letterboxes are hidden in weatherproof boxes in public places such as parks. For example, the Kansas City Metropolitan area is home to over sixty letterboxes. Clues to the whereabouts of the boxes may be found online on various websites. The contents of a letterbox include a notebook and a rubber stamp. The rubber stamp will often be hand carved an opposed to store bought. Finders will want to bring their own rubber stamp, inkpad, and notebook. Finders will want to make an imprint of the stamp in their personal notebook to keep for their records. In addition, finders will want to leave an impression of their own “signature” stamp in the letterbox’s “logbook”. This allows other letterboxers to see who has found the letterbox.
The heritage of letterboxing may be traced back to Dartmoor, Devon, England. Interest in the United States is generally traced to an article that appeared in the Smithsonian Magazine in April of 1998. Also, the growing interest in geocaching has helped interest in letterboxing to grow as well. The original letterboxes were located in hard-to-reach places that could only be found by the most determined seekers. Letterboxes are now located in much more accessible places than originally intended. As a result, the activity has become much more popular among children. Some boxes are placed in tougher terrain and are better suited for adults and experienced letterboxers.
For any additional information about the activity of letterboxing, please visit www.letterboxing.org or www.atlasquest.com. These websites will provide clues, tips for carving your own stamps, and frequently asked questions for your family’s very own Indiana Jones adventure.
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