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Broken Oak LbNA #43997

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Sep 20, 2008
Location:
City:Janesville
County:Waseca
State:Minnesota
Boxes:1
Planted by:running horse
Found by: Not yet found!
Last found:N/A
Last edited:Sep 20, 2008
Broken Oak Letterbox is located at Lakeview Park about 1/2 mile north of the city limits of Janesville, Minnesota. There are some white-tailed deer and an emu that live in the park and are enjoyable to see. In July 2008, two severe thunderstorms hit the park and destroyed or damaged some of the massive red and white oak trees that have grown there for many decades. This letterbox was created and named in tribute to these beautiful giants.

From the one 4-way stop in the center of the town of Janesville, drive north on Main St. almost 2 miles to where the street ends at Lake Elysian. Straight ahead of you will be the entrance to one of the parking lots at Lakeview Park. Don’t go there, though. Instead, turn left and drive (or walk or bike) along the road so that the park is on your right and a few houses are on your left. You’ll see one of the fenced in deer pens on your right. Turn right at your first opportunity, going uphill, and keeping the fenced area on your right. You’ll see several large scenic trees across the parkway on your left.

You’ll soon come to a cross road and you’ll see a grey caretaker’s house. Turn right, and now you’ll have a fenced area on both sides of the road. Keep going for a short distance until you come to a small parking area. You can park there (if you drove).

From that spot, you should be able to see some of the white-tailed deer and the emu. Listen for the unusual drumming sound made by the emu. You might even see or hear a turkey that lives there, too.

To find the letterbox, look for a very large red oak tree with outstretched branches between the nearby picnic pavilion and the playground area. Stand with your back to the tree, facing the steps on the large metal slide. Walk 50 steps straight ahead.

You should be standing next to another large red oak tree and there should be a large burl (bump) sticking out of the tree just above your head. Look on the opposite side of the tree for an oval spot about the size of a dinner plate that is slightly indented, almost as if someone rubbed the tree bark off. Stand with your back to this side of the tree so that the oval bare spot is just above your head.

Straight ahead of you just into the brush and over the hillside is another red oak tree with a forked trunk. Take about 20 steps to the tree and pull the leaves away from the root area on the uphill side. Reach into the hollow and find the letterbox (a water bottle with camouflage tape around it).

Once you are done with the letterbox, please place it back into the right side of the hollow as you found it. If you place it too far to the left, it can slide right through the hole and out the other side of the tree. Please cover it up with leaves and sticks so that it is hidden for the next person to find.