2. What is it
● A fun hobby that involves some problem
solving, art, and going new places.
● Rubber stamps, many of which are hand
carved, are hidden in various locations by
"planters"
● Planters leave clues, some of which require
deciphering, for people to locate hidden
stamps.
● Letterboxers find stamps and add to their
logbook, leaving their own stamped image.
3. A little history
● In 1854, in Dartmoor, England, James
Perrott hid a bottle by Cranmere Pool.
● He included his calling card in the bottle so
future visitors could contact him and leave
their own calling cards.
● The bottle was replaced by a small tin box in
1888. Visitors now left self-addressed
postcards and the next person to visit the
letterbox would retrieve the postcards and
mail them back from their hometown.
4. A little more history
● By April 1905 the number of visitors
required a better way to track finds. The tin
box was replaced with a zinc box which now
included a log book.
● The idea, which still is seen in practice today,
of using a rubber stamp was left as a
suggestion in the log book, July 22, 1907, by
John H. Strother.
5. "Reached the pool at 7.10pm, misty day
with cool breeze, and would suggest that
a rubber stamp, something like the post
office stamps for postmarking letters or
rubber stamp for putting the address at
the top of a piece of notepaper be
provided and kept here. If this were done
it would be proof that cards posted had
really come from Cranmere."
6. Slow-growing hobby
● Second letterbox placed at Belstone Tor 40
years after the first!
● 44 years would pass before someone planted
a third box at Ducks Pool.
● 122 years after the first planting only 15
letterboxes were found in Dartmoor.
● With the creation of a newsletter in 1976 the
popularity grew and by the 1980s thousands
of boxes had been planted.
7. Popularity = Problems
● Planters became so enthusiastic about hiding
boxes they began dismantling historic rock
walls, marking plants with graffiti, and
otherwise causing destruction.
● Dartmoor National Park proposed to
eradicate all but the first two boxes, which
now had permanent housing to contain
them.
● Accepted etiquette, still observed today was
agreed upon and kept the hobby alive.
8. Etiquette
● Boxes should not be sited in any kind of
antiquity and should not damage site.
● Boxes should not be sited in any potentially
dangerous situations where injuries could be
caused.
● Boxes should not be sited as a fixture.
Cement or any other building material is not
to be used.
9. Crossing the Pond
● In April 1988 Smithsonian magazine
publishes a small article about letterboxing
hobby starts to take off in the United States.
● Eventually Letterboxing North America
(LbNA) is founded in 2001 and over 1000
boxes known.
● Enthusiasts have now planted boxes
worldwide.
10. Why do it?
● Solve puzzles!
● Visit awesome
places you might
otherwise never see!
● Collect stamped
images, many of
which are amazing
works of art.
15. Some Resources
● They Live and Breathe Letterboxing
Smithsonian, April 1988
http://www.letterboxing.org/Smithsonian.
html
● Letterboxing North America
http://www.letterboxing.org/
● Atlas Quest (find clues, location search)
http://www.atlasquest.com
● Dartmoor Letterboxing
http://www.dartmoorletterboxing.org/
