1963 Clues
Within the limits of old St. Paul
All private property you must avoid
And nothing at all should be destroyed.
Look for the medallion that is round
Don't invite danger, but obey safety rules
This hunt is for family fun, not for fools.
Antenna rising tall and straight
Seizing a prize, an event centennial
Satisfaction like a bloom perennial.
Unused driveways are almost unseen
The curtain is up, come see the sights
Steve Allen's show will hit the heights.
So get out the woolies, both outer and inner
Houses trimmed in varied hues
Apartment and highway signs are clues.
Start early if you the treasure could spy
Telephone, power poles old and new
Stately buildings are in view.
Set a pace or the prize is lost
Trees, some fallen and fir trees few
From an old stone-wall take a cue.
But a tree with a forked trunk is a closer selection
Boreas' treasure gives you plenty of reason
To continue to search though your toes be freezin'.
A smokestack to the south and a tree north in line
A bridge and a zone sign their help will lend
Find the treasure and the search will end.
With instruments gay, let a rondo ring
Parking lots and building in brick
A highway project is part of the trick.
Finding the treasure site each name completes
On the east street are four trees in line
Search to the west and you're doing just fine.
Walk toward a hollow stump half way or more
There on the ground neath the snow it lies,
The frost covered medallion King Boreas' prize.
From the westward 100 ft at least.
The trees are on Louis. There's a pipe near the stump.
Find the medallion and with joy you will jump.
During the 1990’s, the St Paul Pioneer Press opened online discussion forums. These forums were called Water Coolers. The forums had discussion topics related to sports, politics, news, and current events. Each year, the Pioneer Planet – the online section of the Pioneer Press – opened a discussion forum as a media for hunters to discuss the clues for the Winter Carnival Medallion Hunt.
During the earlier years, one might find a few hundred posts during the hunt. As more hunters had computers, those numbers jumped. From 1997 to 1998, the number of posts increased from the hundreds to the 5-digit thousands. It was during the 1998 hunt the Cooler Crew was born.
The community spirit and teamwork displayed in the Pioneer Press Medallion Hunt thread was inspiring. The group of hunters found themselves at the end of a hunt not wanting to let go of new friendships and the camaraderie found on the Water Cooler board. The idea emerged to do what anyone would do in the middle of winter in Minnesota. A picnic in Cherokee was planned - the first Rehash Bash!
