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The Second Annual Great Letterboxing History Hunt will take place throughout Fairfield County beginning May 15. It concludes with a family get-together from 3 to 4 p.m. May 31 at the Wilton Historical Society.
The event is a collaboration among the Fairfield Museum and History Center, the New Canaan Historical Society, the Norwalk Historical Society, Ridgefield’s Keeler Tavern Museum, the Weston Historical Society, the Westport Historical Society, and the Wilton Historical Society.
Letterboxing, which originated in 1854 on the moors of Dartmoor, England, is an outdoor walking or hiking activity that combines elements of orienteering, stamp art and puzzle-solving in a treasure hunt-style quest.
“We’re bringing back the program because, simply put, people love to letterbox,” Wilton Historical Society Executive Director Leslie Nolan said in a statement. “It is lots of fun and a great activity for families. It’s a perfect way to get out in the fresh air and explore local history all over Fairfield County.”
Each participant carries with them a ‘signature’ stamp, an inkpad and the official Letterboxing History Hunt Map. Starting at any of the historical societies, the object is to follow clues to find a letterbox hidden on the property. Inside the letterbox is a journal and a stamp -- like a passport. The participant stamps the location stamp on their official Letterboxing History Hunt Map, and in turn stamps the journal in the letterbox with their signature stamp.
Participants who stamp their official map at all eight locations between May 15 and May 31 will be eligible for a prize and entered in a drawing for a grand prize. All prizes will be awarded at the Wilton Historical Society, 224 Danbury Road, closing get-together on May 31.
More information about the Great Letterboxing History Hunt, including addresses, contacts and a printable map, can be found at the Wilton Historical Society’s website at wiltonhistorical.org.
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