Riverbox update April 2008

Dublin Arts Council has been recently made aware of vandalism, theft or deterioration of several of our Riverboxes. At this time, we are working with the artists to repair or replace the artworks.

Please note that Riverbox of the Sun and Hidden Treasure Riverbox are whole and in good condition.

Ghost Tree Riverbox is off view and is being repaired by artist Angelica Pozo. Vigilant Vigilante Riverbox is on view, but the vessel's lid must be repaired, and the stamp and journal will be replaced.

Big Turtle Riverbox is missing completely. Artist Margaret McAdams will re-create the Riverbox and its stamp and will re-install the artwork by June.

River Garden Riverboxes have also gone missing, but a thoughtful Riverboxer has found a portion of the artwork and has returned it to the original site. New River Garden Riverboxes, and their stamp, are being created by Patty Mitchell, the original artist.

Dublin Arts Council is so encouraged by the outpouring of community support and interest in this project, and looks forward to reinstating the original six Riverboxes as the weather warms and the season of exploration awaits!

DAC’s Riverboxes are ready to be discovered!

Dublin Arts Council commissioned innovative and environmentally sensitive artists to create Riverboxes, public artworks that contain a unique, artist-made stamp, journal and information for Dublin residents and visitors to discover in parks located along the banks of the Scioto River. The selected artists created their Riverbox in response to artistic, environmental and historical information provided about these six river access sites in the City of Dublin.

The Riverboxes project, part of Ripple Effect: Artistic Impact of the Scioto River, is inspired by the pastime of letterboxing or geocaching, wherein participants combine map-reading or GPS skills and artistic pursuit with delightful ‘treasure hunts’ in beautiful, scenic places.

Community participants are encouraged to bring a personal journal and an ink stamp, either hand made or commercially produced, when searching for Riverbox locations. Letterboxing/geocaching hobbyists often mark their journals with the ink stamps discovered at each location, and in turn, imprint the site’s journal with their own ink stamp.

Each of the six Dublin Scioto River access points has a Riverbox discreetly placed within the parks boundaries. To find a Riverbox, use the clues provided in the links below. To assist you in the search, we’ve created a map to the six Dublin river access points. You can view, download and print a copy here.

Consider the Riverbox sites as points on a timeline of Dublin's history. Try to imagine what transpired at each point as time progressed. Indians and native game co-existed along the river that sustained them. The white settlers found the spring to supply drinking water for their camp, which grew into a settlement. The river powered mills to grind grain for food. Quarries supplied materials for building and many other uses. And the river--the ever-present river--gave life, shelter and definition to the town and the territory. In recent years, we have honored the river with a beautiful bridge made from stone from the river's own quarries. You can learn more about Dublin history at the Dublin Historical Society web site, and more about the Riverbox sites via information provided by the Dublin Historical Society and included in each Riverbox journal. The Society is organized to discover, collect and preserve materials, including stories, about the history of Dublin and the surrounding area. Click here to learn more about the Society and Dublin's colorful history.

Once you discover the Riverboxes, please share your experience in DAC’s Riverboxes Guest Book. 

Please click on the links below for clues to the whereabouts of the DAC Riverboxes:

Riverbox of the Sun, located at Dublin Arts Center
Vigilant Vegetation Riverbox, located at Dublin Kiwanis Riverway Park
Hidden Treasure Riverbox, located at Donegal Cliffs Park
Big Turtle Riverbox, located at Scioto Park
River Garden Riverbox, located at Amberleigh Park
Ghost Tree Riverbox, located at Dublin Spring in Historic Dublin

Dublin Arts Council thanks Riverbox artists Eric Marlow, Jean Magdich, Patty Mitchell, Ron Hirschi, Angelica Pozo and Margaret McAdams for their interest, creativity and support for the project.

To learn more about letterboxing and geocaching, visit www.letterboxing.org or www.geocaching.com.

If you are a first-time Riverbox explorer and would like to purchase a journal and ink stamp, Dublin Arts Council has a 'Riverbox starter kit' available in our gift shop for $10. The DAC gift shop is located at 7125 Riverside Dr., in Dublin, and is open Tues. and Wed. 9am-9pm, Thurs. and Fri. 9am-5pm and Sat. 9am to 3pm.

Riverboxes Etiquette and Disclaimer:

Riverboxes are works of public art, created for the enjoyment of all. Please respect the artworks, the journals and ink stamps by carefully replacing the Riverbox contents and securing the enclosure for the next explorer to discover.

Riverboxes are located in natural environments along the Scioto River. We encourage you to spend time with each, enjoying the lovely surroundings. Please respect the flora and fauna of the Riverboxes’ environment and leave them as you found them. Letterboxing enthusiasts often replace leaves or pebbles around their “find” so that the next searcher will also be able to enjoy the experience of discovery.

Riverboxes are found outdoors near water environments and your search carries the risk of unforeseen hazards. As weather and terrain conditions may vary, it is the responsibility of the Riverbox explorer to adequately prepare for the search and conduct him or herself with respect to safety and personal abilities and limitations. Do not let children search for Riverboxes unsupervised.

By utilizing Riverbox clues, the searcher acknowledges the potential risk of the search and accepts responsibility for their own actions, holding harmless Dublin Arts Council and Riverbox supporters.

Dublin Arts Council thanks our Riverboxes supporters:

Dublin Arts Council thanks The Dublin Foundation and Honda of America for their financial support of this exciting project. Ongoing support for Dublin Arts Council is received from the City of Dublin’s hotel/motel bed tax endowment and the Ohio Arts Council. The City of Dublin Parks and Open Space Department and the Dublin Historical Society have collaborated with Dublin Arts Council in the project’s development.