Architectural mystery letterbox
Somewhere in the Chicago suburbs, Cook County, Illinois
Accessible by public transportation (CTA or Metra)
Easy, great for families. No poison ivy. No snakes.
Box: not a mini, but maybe a tiny. You can use a stamp up to about
1" across.
Placed October 6, 2002, by yooperann (wfisher47@attbi.com)

In 1898 the man who would become the world's most famous
architect established his first studio in his home in this leafy
suburb. Before he left town for more famous studios in
Wisconsin and Arizona, he designed more than 25 buildings, leaving
the town an architectural legacy that draws tens of thousands of
visitors every year.
One of the architect's most beautiful buildings, only a block
away from the Home and Studio, is the Frank W. Thomas House, built
in 1901. Across the street from the Thomas House is this town's
only statue of this famous son. Although the architect was very
short (and unappreciative owners of his buildings sometimes
complained that doors and ceilings were built more to his height than
to theirs) it still hardly seems fair that the bust is set in a rock
only about three feet off the ground. Your search for the letterbox
begins with this statue.
Just to the right of the statue a wrought iron gate leads
into a park. Go into the park and take the path to your right.
Follow the path past the wildflower gardens. You will come to a
majestic tree, of the species obvious for the community (and no,
it's not a gingko). The tree rises five or six feet from a huge
trunk, and then divides into two before continuing skyward.
Near this tree you'll find a bench. Have a seat and admire
the tree. When you're ready to continue, turn around and locate the
light pole immediately behind the bench. The box is under the base
of the light pole on the east side. Please be discreet because the
park gets fairly heavy use.