On Monday, Lewistown Intermediate School fifth-graders laced up their walking shoes and set out to discover those stories for themselves during the school’s annual Historic Lewistown Scavenger Hunt.

The event, now in its 12th year, was created by fifth-grade teacher Tim Clark as a way to help students see their hometown through a different lens.

“Most kids hear all negative things about our town, so this is a way to teach them about the rich history we have,” Clark said. “The scavenger hunt is part history lesson, part adventure. We stop at the Dorcas Buchanan Cemetery, the old courthouse, the McCoy House and Monument Square for mini lessons.”

Clark was joined by fellow teachers Mindy Mix and Shaneen Gramley, who helped guide the students through the day’s two walking routes. A total of 41 students participated.

Submitted photo
Students sit inside the old historic Mifflin County Courthouse in Downtown Lewistown.

“We go up for one route and two lessons in the morning, head back to school for lunch, then go back up for the other route and lessons in the afternoon,” Clark said. “The kids and parents love it.”

History hidden in plain sight

Students carried clipboards and scavenger hunt sheets as they searched for clues on buildings, signs and monuments throughout Downtown Lewistown. They were asked to look closely at architectural details, dates carved into stone, unusual features and historical markers.

“Part of this was a scavenger hunt, so the kids were looking for clues all through town on signs, buildings, the years they were built, windows, things like that,” Clark said. “It’s a really fun and important lesson for local kids.”

The stops along the way offered a mix of local history, surprising facts and a few stories the students won’t soon forget.

A cemetery full of stories

At the Dorcas Holt Buchanan Cemetery, students learned about Buchanan, whose hand-carved 1804 sandstone marker remains in remarkable condition. Several of the large ledger stones were recently lifted and leveled during a restoration project completed last fall.

Many students had never heard of the cemetery or the woman buried there.

“They liked looking at the old graves and finding veterans from the Civil and Revolutionary wars,” Clark said. “They were surprised by how much land she had and how old some of the stones were.”

A courthouse with a past — and a ghost

The old historic Mifflin County Courthouse, built between 1842 and 1843, was another favorite stop. The second-floor courtroom has been restored to a late 19th-century appearance and features artwork of local significance.

But it wasn’t the architecture that captured the students’ attention.

“They loved hearing the ghost story at the old courthouse,” Clark said.

According to local legend, the courthouse is haunted by a lawyer who collapsed during a trial and died while waiting for medical attention. Students listened wide-eyed as they stood in the same building where the story unfolded.

A monument with a Lincoln connection

At Monument Square, students examined the 64-foot Soldiers and Sailors Monument, honoring the Navy, Cavalry, Infantry and Artillery. Clark pointed out the small granite block embedded at the base — a stone taken from Abraham Lincoln’s tomb in Springfield, Ill.

The stone was sent to Lewistown through the efforts of George R. Frysinger, editor of the Lewistown Gazette, who secured it from fellow Mifflin County native Maj. Robert B. Hoover.

“The Lincoln stone was a big hit,” Clark said. “They thought it was really cool.”

Learning where they live

The final stop was the McCoy House, birthplace of U.S. Army officer Frank R. McCoy, who served in the Spanish-American War and on the General Staff during World War I.

“We wanted them to learn about the impact two local men had and the wars they participated in,” Clark said.

Despite the heat, students stayed engaged and enthusiastic. Clark said that’s exactly why the tradition continues.

“It’s important for kids to know the history of where they live,” he said. “And honestly, for as hot as it was, they all said it was really fun — including finding answers to the scavenger hunt clues.”