Old Town Cape challenges residents to find clock hidden in businesses

Since October, Old Town Cape Inc. has been holding treasure hunts in downtown Cape Girardeau.

The item people are seeking is a miniature replica of the clock at the intersection of Main and Themis streets. Whoever finds the replica wins a gift basket full of prizes.

The replica is hidden in a different downtown business each month. Only subscribers to the Old Town Cape email newsletter are notified when the clock has been re-hidden. Seekers of the tiny clock also get a hint about the new hiding place from the newsletter that comes out the first Wednesday of every month.

The most recent clue from the newsletter was "Take a spin with a Glitter Wizard", which sent savvy seekers to Spectrum Record Lounge at 113 Broadway. Spectrum has a cocktail named Glitter Wizard in honor of David Bowie's character in the film "Labyrinth".

The clock hidden in Spectrum was found the same day the clue appeared in the newsletter Wednesday, Jan. 4. Sydney Waters, event coordinator for Old Town Cape, said they hoped it would take people longer to find the clocks.

"We need to come up with some harder hints," Waters joked. "So far, the clock has been found within the first week after the hint is posted."

Waters said the idea for the hunt came as Old Town Cape members were looking for a way to get more people to sign up for the email newsletter, which highlights upcoming events and the revitalization efforts of Cape Girardeau's downtown district.

Prizes donated by Old Town Cape awarded to the winners of its clock treasure hunt.Submitted

Prizes donated by Old Town Cape awarded to the winners of its clock treasure hunt.Submitted

Waters said she contacted Jason Bruenderman at Southeast Missouri State University's Kent Library to have a replica made using the library's 3D printer. Bruenderman said Danielle Barr, a former media technician with Kent Library, designed and created the replica.

"Danielle used photos of the real clock on Main Street to design a 3D rendering on a computer," Bruenderman said. "Then she used that design to make the clock in our printer. It turned out great. It's 11-and-a-half-inches tall, and she even added in some luminescence so the clock face glows in the dark."

Waters said the items in the prize packs differ with each business where the replica is hidden.

"We always throw in a bunch of Old Town Cape swag like our River Trail Murals book and some gift cards," Waters said. "Then the businesses contribute prizes, too. We hid the first clock in a gallery in the Missouri Arts Council. They donated a family membership and some nice prints for their prize pack."

Waters said they let the business owners choose where they want to hide the clock. She said, when someone finds it, there's a QR code they can scan with their phone that will instruct them to return the clock to the Old Town Cape office to claim their prize. The code also provides links to information about the history of the clock. The successful hunters are encouraged to take a selfie with the clock and "check-in" at the business to give them some recognition.

The clue to the next hiding place will be sent out Wednesday, Feb. 1. Waters said people can receive the hint by signing up for the Old Town Cape email newsletter on its website — www.downtowncapegirardeau.com.

She also said downtown businesses that would like sign up to be a secret location may call her at (573) 334-8085 and she will put them on the schedule.

The real clock at Main and Themis streets in downtown Cape Girardeau.Southeast Missourian file

The real clock at Main and Themis streets in downtown Cape Girardeau.Southeast Missourian file