Scavenger hunters take to downtown

MT. PLEASANT — Young and old, couples and families, students and adults are currently scavenging downtown Mt. Pleasant in search of notable architectural features in hopes of winning $100 Chamber Bucks.

In celebration of Historic Preservation Month and Southeast Iowa Realty’s one year anniversary, the Henry County Historical Preservation Commission teamed up with the realty group and Main Street Mt. Pleasant to create this downtown activity.

The hunt consists of filling out a flyer with locations of 18 distinct architectural elements located within a two-block radius of the downtown square.

Once completed, scavenger hunt participants can turn their forms into Southeast Iowa Realty by May 24 with name and phone number.

Entries with correct answers will be entered into a grand prize drawing for $100 in chamber bucks and all other entries will be entered into a random drawing for four $25 chamber bucks.

After hours entries can be placed in the black mailbox.

Entry forms are available at most downtown businesses.

For those struggling to find all 18 features, visit the Southeast Iowa Realty Facebook page for hints.

SEI Realty Owner Broker Kevin Dameron hopes that this hunt helps produce a greater appreciation for the unique architectural features in downtown Mt. Pleasant.

“It is just kind of an eye-opening thing for me what we actually have out there,” Dameron said. “There's some really cool stuff.”

Co-event organizer and Mt. Pleasant Historical Preservation Commission Treasurer Lea Bradley shared that a former commission member Don Young always used to encourage others saying, “When you go for a walk, always make sure you look up.”

“I would hope students, particularly, would be a little more aware of the architectural that we have here in Mt. Pleasant,” Co-event organizer and Historical Preservation Commission Treasurer Lea Bradley said.

According to Dameron, Bradley took scavenger hunt flyers, printed by Wilson Distributor Service, to each of the schools in the Mt. Pleasant district to encourage student participation.

Southeast Iowa Realty will announce winners of the scavenger hunt Thursday, May 25 at Revival Salon and Sanctuary where the Historical Preservation Commission will present Mark and Gina Burns with a Historic Preservation award.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com