North Carolina 12th State

North Carolina

Postcard courtesy of Ben Wolff.

I live in a suburb of Charlotte called Matthews. Thank you for mailing back my letterboxing hitchhiker. I can't believe it traveled cross-country to California!

Letterboxing is a hobby enjoyed by many people across the country. It's like a "treasure hunt" and great fun for families like Ben's. They hide a "letterbox" and then leave clues for other hobbiests to find it. The finder may leave a note and stamp it, or move it to a new location (leaving new clues to its whereabouts). This particular "letterbox" was a special notebook with a handcarved owl stamp. The notebook and stamp were hidden and found at various locations in North Carolina. One day another letterboxing family found it and left it at a popular vacation spot on the opposite coast. Almost a year later, the "hitchhiker" found it's way back to Ben in North Carolina. For more information about this hobby, visit AtlasQuest.com.

Caption: Charlotte is the largest city in the two Carolinas and was named in honor of Queen Charlotte, wife of England's King George III. Photo by Joe Joseph.