Great Perch Search

A great way to enjoy the outdoors and get to know more about our town is by doing the Great Perch Search.
 
The Great Perch Search will take you on a scavenger hunt to locate ten owls in downtown Forest City. Use these clues to find them all!
 
Scroll down for a printable version of the GPS rack card and to learn more about each unique owl.

Forest City Great Perch Search Small Town. Deep Roots. Big Fun. Are you ready for a SCAVENGER HUNT? Ten OWLS have taken up residence along our historic Forest City Main Street! Created as part of Sam Roller's high school senior project, the Owl family perches on buildings or areas of significance in Forest City's history. Using clues to search for each owl makes a stroll along Main Street extra fun for kids of all ages. Try to find all 10 OWLS! Happy Hunting!

Great Perch Search Use these clues to find all 10 OWLS perched in Downtown Forest City! Dewey Owl Is perched where wise owls look and reads of all ages can read an borrow books. Charlie Owl Is perched on Powell Street at the Hall. He looks over the town, its people and all. Clive Owl Is perched near a painted cache of clues. Hunt for 70 hidden objects or find just a few. George Owl Is perched where side effects are sweet. For breakfast or lunch, over the counter, friends meet…. Doc Owl Is perched near crosses in the brick, of a place that was used to treat people who were sick. James Owl Is perched where he can watch the smoke rise, from a stone landmark of a big fire in 1885. Cecil Owl Is perched near a safe place. Only time will tell about this next space. Penny Owl Is perched to watch the center of town flow. The changes she has seen, nobody knows. Bruce Owl Is perched on one of the oldest buildings around. Since 1905, its corner can be found. Florence Owl Is perched just a stroll down the street, parked behind where people splash and meet.

Doc Owl is perched near crosses in the brick, of a place that was once used to threat people who were sick. What's in a Name? 121 E. Main Street. Built in 1902 and one of the oldest builds on Main Street, this three-story Romanesque Revival style brick structure is also one of the most decorated, with its original ceiling inside. This building was originally built as a center for tuberculosis treatment by Dr. T.C. McBrayer, and still retains many of the original patient rooms upstairs. In the 1930s and 1940s, Home's Department Store was located here. This building is on the National Register of Historic Places. Hidden in Plain Sight… Look at the brickwork and find cross accents all along the buildings frame. A cross became a popular symbol for medical services after Henry Dunant founded the Red Cross voluntary organization in the mid-1800s. The cross sign can be easily identified in cases of emergency.

Florence Owl is perched just a stroll down the street, parked behind where people splash and meet. What's in a Name? Florence Mill goes back almost as far as Forest City. In 1885, the Forest City Cotton Mill was organized by several of the city's leading citizen, including Raleigh Rutherford Haynes. The mill was named for his oldest daughter. The factories attracted workers for the surrounding area, and a bank was established in 1904 and the area's population continued to grow. After the mill closed, the buildings have stood empty and served as a bitter-sweet reminder of when the textile industry thrived in the area. Local planners wanted to use the past as part of Forest City's future! Two warehouses and the Blanton Hotel were demolished in 2016 to make room for the new park. With the Grand Opening in 2019, the park is expected to become a major focal point for downtown Forest City featuring an amphitheater for outdoor concerts and special events and two interactive, pop-jet style splash pads.

Dewey Owl is perched where wise owls look and readers of all ages can read and borrow books. What's in a Name? The Dewey Decimal Classification System is the most widely used method for classifying books in the library. It is named after Melvil Dewey, an American Librarian who developed it in 2976. Mooneyham Public Library, Forest City's municipal library, began as a small collection housed in an upstairs room in Forest City's City Hall and moved to its current location in1964. The library features a collection of adult fiction and an attractive children's room. Special children's programs are available year-round and a summer reading program for all ages which includes a weekly story time. Public computer workstations and wireless access are also available. Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm Address: 240 E Main Street Forest City, NC 28043 Phone: (828)248-5224

Clive Owl is perched near a painted cache of clues. Hunt for 70 hidden objects or find just a few. What's in a Name? Clive Haynes has created murals throughout the state and elsewhere, but for this Rutherford County native, one of his proudest achievements in thus mural in Forest City. Since the year 2000, the Clive Haynes mural, which takes up an entire city block has entertained many as they have looked for the hidden objects. The mural is located across the street from City Hall on North Powell Street and begins at the corner of East Main Street. People come from all over to see this depiction of the meaningful touches and areas of Forest City. In 2011, Clive restored the mural and painted even more hidden items…. Bringing the total to 105!

Cecil Owl is perched near a safe place. Only time will tell about this next space. What's in a Name? Cecil Geer and his wife, Myra, were dedicated to promoting downtown Forest City where he purchased and renovated several buildings. Cecil was an avid Forest City Owls Baseball supporter and formed the Forest City Owls Booster Club which brought everyone so much enjoyment. He even bought a trumpet just to learn to lead the

Penny Owl is perched to watch the center of town flow. The changes she has seen, nobody knows. What's in a Name? Coins in a fountain have been a tradition for many years so, of course, Penny was a natural choice for the owl. In addition to the pun,

Bruce Owl is perched on one of the oldest buildings in town. Built in 2015 on the corner, its door can be found. What's in a Name? Bruce Ownbey began working for the Town of Forest City in 1995 as a Fire Inspector in the Code Enforcement Department. In 2006, he continued to do inspections as well as assist with computer issues. In July of 2009, he was designated as the IT Department and retired in 2019. In addition to his many contributions to Forest City as an employee, Bruce was an encouraging and effective mentor for Sam Roller's Senior Project, the Great Perch Search! Reinhardt Drug Company, Hall's Drugstore, Dalton Brothers clothing, legal offices, and Forest City Vacuum Center have occupied this building throughout the years. This building is on the National Register of Historic Places. 126-A E. Main Street. Reinhardt Drug Co. Bldg. built in 2904. Original door at southwest corner of building.

George Owl is perched where side effects are sweet. For breakfast or lunch, over the counter, friends meet. What's in a Name? George Ledford was a resident of Forest City with special needs who worked in the fountain at Smiths Drug Store for 31 years. He was an avid supporter of Forest City Owls Baseball and could be found at every home game. George loved Forest City and the citizens of the town loved George. He even served as Grand Marshall of the 2013 Forest City Christmas Parade and was memorialized in the town mural! George passed away in July of 2014 after a sudden illness. Smiths Drugs of Forest City is an independent, full-service pharmacy and soda fountain that has been locally owned and operated since 1939. Stop in for lunch and enjoy timeless hospitality and good food.

Charlie Owl is perched on Powell Street at the Hall. He looks over the town, its people and all. What's in a Name? Charles Flack was the first mayor of and devoted businessman and civic leader. In 1928, during his time as mayor Forest City, the new City Hall was constructed at 128 N. Powell Street. Originally two buildings that housed town hall and the fire department, it was later joined by an arched walkway. This walkway appears by 1957 and is currently enclosed for interior office use. This building is on the National Register of Historic Places.

James Owl is perched where he can watch the smoke rise, from a stone landmark of a big fire in 1855. What's in a Name? What is now Forest City began as a crossroads on the Shelby-Rutherfordton and Spartanburg-Lincolnton Roads. Originally, the town was incorporated as Burnt Chimney in 1877. The