[Posted July 16, 2021]
The Hillsdale Hunt, a combination scavenger hunt and local trivia quiz, is over and winners have been announced. The free event held June 19th-July 4th was organized by the Hillsdale Community Foundation with prizes contributed by many local businesses.
Who is Darla? Where in Hillsdale will you find an Oregon Heritage Tree claimed to have been living here since the signing of the US Constitution? And, Jeopardy!-style: "Mint Chip" is the answer to what question?
Find the answers to all of the Hillsdale Hunt clues here.
The Hillsdale News checked in with a few of the winners. Read on to learn what they had to say about participating in the Hillsdale Hunt.
Long-time Hillsdale resident Caroline Sloan learned about the Hunt from the Foundation Facebook page. She knew the answers to many of the questions, but was also challenged by more than a couple of them. “It took a minute to do some of the web research,” Sloan says. Despite the very hot weather it was a great way to get out of the house with her 13-year old son, Charles.
Sloan won the Best Costume prize for a photo she took of Charles, which netted her a Paloma gift certificate. They also won gift cards to Hoot ‘N Annie and Baker & Spice in the raffle. Says Sloan: “It was fun to roam around the neighborhood, and it’s good to keep people aware of the history of the neighborhood. It’s valuable to know who Bertha was.”
Jennifer Stevens' neighbor, a scavenger hunt enthusiast, told her about the Hunt and encouraged her to take part. Stevens' favorite part? "I loved doing it with my kids and that they were into it. We enjoyed going into shops and learning about where we live.” Jennifer and her team won a $100 certificate to Cuttlefish and Corals for the highest score in the hunt as well as a Dairy Hill certificate in the raffle.
Even players born and raised here found some new fun facts about the neighborhood.
Helene Wren, a SW Portland resident who grew up here and graduated from Wells High School back when it was Wilson High School, says her team learned many new things about their home turf (“Who knew that George Himes Park was dedicated on his 91st birthday?”) . "The clues were interesting for kids and adults. It was a fun way to learn about our community and explore more," she says.
Wren's family fell in love with scavenger hunts during the pandemic, and enjoys those as well as escape rooms and geocaching with another family whose children are the same age. The two families have finished second in so many events, no matter how hard they try (or don't try), that they proudly call themselves “The Second-Placers.”
The two families worked together to do the research and solve the clues in the Hillsdale Hunt. True to form, the team earned the second-highest score for correct answers, winning a certificate to Verde Cocina which they plan to use for a celebratory meal of guacamole once the children can be vaccinated. Team Second-Place also won a Basics Market gift card in the raffle, earmarked by the kids for an ice cream splurge in the park.
"It was a fantastic treasure hunt! We are excited to do it again and hope they will do another one next year," says Wren. "It was a great time!"
--Valeurie Friedman
What's your favorite bit of Hillsdale trivia? Let us know.