Susan's Treasure Box Hunt
Throughout Santa Fe Trail Days, you may participate in the hunt for Susan's Treasure Box. The Tiller & Toiler, along with the Larned Area Chamber of Commerce, and Tourism of Pawnee County bring this special event to you leading up to and throughout the annual Santa Fe Trail Days celebration.
The search will be for the lost "treasure box" of Susan Shelby Magoffin, an early traveler of the Santa Fe Trail.
As a historic figure, 18 year old newlywed Susan Shelby Magoffin left Independence, MO to travel down the Santa Fe Trail and into Mexico in June, 1846, accompanied by her husband Samuel (to whom she referred to as "mi alma," or "my soul"), a variety of servants and employees, and her dog, Ring. As one of the first Anglo-American women to travel the Trail, her trip coincided with that of the U.S. invasion and occupation of New Mexico.
A keeper of an extensive diary, Magoffin recorded a horrific accident while crossing Ash Creek after leaving their Pawnee Rock campsite on July 4, 1846. In the wreck, her carriage was completely destroyed, and a great number of supplies "books, bottles...guns, pistols, baskets, bags, boxes, and dear knows what else..." were lost. Seeking sanctuary in a servant's carriage, Susan finished her trip, which was later published as "Down the Santa Fe Trail: The Diary of Susan Shelby Magoffin." The work is considered an important historical addition and insight into what the daily life was like along the trail.
Among the lost items, which Susan left unrecorded, was a small jewelry box, which may have been transported further down the trail and left discarded within a two-mile radius of downtown Larned.
The box is located within a one-mile radius of downtown Larned. Clues to the box's whereabouts will be printed one per day in upcoming issues of the Tiller & Toiler in advance of Santa Fe Trail Days, until the box is found.
Rules:
The search will be for the lost "treasure box" of Susan Shelby Magoffin, an early traveler of the Santa Fe Trail.
As a historic figure, 18 year old newlywed Susan Shelby Magoffin left Independence, MO to travel down the Santa Fe Trail and into Mexico in June, 1846, accompanied by her husband Samuel (to whom she referred to as "mi alma," or "my soul"), a variety of servants and employees, and her dog, Ring. As one of the first Anglo-American women to travel the Trail, her trip coincided with that of the U.S. invasion and occupation of New Mexico.
A keeper of an extensive diary, Magoffin recorded a horrific accident while crossing Ash Creek after leaving their Pawnee Rock campsite on July 4, 1846. In the wreck, her carriage was completely destroyed, and a great number of supplies "books, bottles...guns, pistols, baskets, bags, boxes, and dear knows what else..." were lost. Seeking sanctuary in a servant's carriage, Susan finished her trip, which was later published as "Down the Santa Fe Trail: The Diary of Susan Shelby Magoffin." The work is considered an important historical addition and insight into what the daily life was like along the trail.
Among the lost items, which Susan left unrecorded, was a small jewelry box, which may have been transported further down the trail and left discarded within a two-mile radius of downtown Larned.
The box is located within a one-mile radius of downtown Larned. Clues to the box's whereabouts will be printed one per day in upcoming issues of the Tiller & Toiler in advance of Santa Fe Trail Days, until the box is found.
Rules:
- Searchers are encouraged to look for the lost treasure box on city property only. The box is rumored to be hidden, but a thorough, plain-sight search of the vicinity will find it. Searchers will not need to climb or dig to find the box; no ladders, footstools or shovels are needed. As Susan's mishap occurred during the day, the search will be limited to daylight hours (from sunrise to sunset). No flashlights will be needed to find the box.
- Clues will be provided in successive issues of the Tiller & Toiler, one per day until the box is found. A list of past clues, including the current clue, will be available at the Larned Area Chamber of Commerce office, 502 Broadway Street, Larned. Clues can also be found on the Santa Fe Trail Days Facebook Page, and directly below for your convenience.
- When found, please call the Larned Area Chamber of Commerce at 620-285-6916 and leave a message if after hours. We will coordinate a time for the winner(s) to bring the box to the Larned Area Chamber of Commerce to redeem $500 in Larned Chamber Bucks for its discovery. Finders will also get their photo taken as well as a story of the search, to be included in the next available Tiller issue. While historic, the box's value is well under the $500 finder's fee.
- Employees, board members and families of the Larned Area Chamber, City of Larned employees and their families, and employees and families of the Tiller and Toiler, are not eligible to participate.
- Good Luck, and have a successful and safe search!
2023 Clues:
Future clues that would have been published next:
- "In the spirit of anniversary celebration, let’s roll it back to where it all began." Published 5/18/23
Future clues that would have been published next:
- Mr. Sibley might have done this here, if he could.
- North, south, east, west. South might be a good direction, just don’t go too far.
- A story of this kind gets better with each telling.
- Still hunting? Don’t jump or wade. Bank on it.
- It’s good in the winter too, but now it’s better in the afternoon.
- You won’t need a license for this one.
- There’s two ways to say it. One is a deep note; but ours is the other way.
