Inver Grove Trove Treasure Hunt (V) — September 2026 (LXXIV)

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CLUE 1

Inver Grove Heights has many delights
Like the parks that you all love and know
But of all its pleasures and secret treasures
Perhaps none are greater than Joe!

So sláinte and cheers to forty years
Of leadership, passion, and care
To you we bestow The Hunt for Joe
The Rep, The Commish, The Mayor!

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CLUE 2

As he strove across the Grove
On seas of signs of blue
Upright, honest, performing on promise
 Atkins would always come through

When air grew crisper, autumn’s whisper
Brought with it pledges for keeping
With words of love that ran so deep
You'd be forgiven for weeping

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CLUE 3

A colorful element planned for development
Despite all their neighbors' objections
Their plans half-witted were not permitted
"Sorry" they said, "no exceptions"

"Eat your heart out," they exclaimed
And marked their line on the map
So Joe stepped in to quiet the din
And pilot the ship through the flap

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CLUE 4

The eighty acres' three claim-stakers
Confusing the trees for the wood
Raised a stink by painting them pink—
There goes the neighborhood!

The parcels planned were locked by land
No access, not worth a dime
Pleading their case to unlock the space
Instead it was frozen in time

The Pinkville Three did not agree
They fought city hall—and fate—
And consequently—accidentally—
Preserved the woodland to date

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FINAL CLUE

A secret spot near the ill-fated plot
Embraces the Inver Grove loot
So step off the path by doing the math
And solve to find the square root…

Tally Joe’s years among his peers
In service and contribution
With numerals from all clues in sum
As the factors in your solution

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CLUE EXPLANATIONS

Clue 1 introduces this hunt’s double duty as an ode to dedicated public servant Joe Atkins—current Dakota County Commissioner and five-term Inver Grove Heights Mayor—while also confirming that this hunt’s medallion was hidden in one of Inver Grove Heights’ many lovely parks (in this case Woodland Preserve Park).
Clue 2 references Atkins’ many campaigns for office, and “seas of signs of blue” (along with his go-to slogan “For Performance, Not Promises”); this was intended to suggest the many “Azure” street signs (Lane, Court, Circle) near Woodland Preserve Park. The word “weeping” was intended to suggest hunters search in a park with willow trees. Additionally, when combined, “words,” “love,” “ran,” and “deep” anagram to “Woodland Preserve.”
Clues 3 and 4 recount the story of “Pinkville”—a bizarre tale from the annals of Inver Grove history, featuring an ill-fated development in the southwest corner of town (that Joe Atkins handled during his tenure as mayor). Woodland Preserve Park is adjacent to the ghostly 80-acre parcel of brush and wetland that to this day remains landlocked and undeveloped. “pilot the ship through the flap” was intended to suggest “Aileron” Court, adjacent to the hiding spot. “Preserved the woodland” was intended to point hunters directly at Woodland Preserve Park.
The Final Clue pinpoints the spot, approximately 20* paces off the trail at Woodland Preserve; the medallion itself was square shaped and hidden under the root of a small, dead stump.
- * Using Joe Atkins’ 40 years of public service and the numerals from Clue 1, 2, 3, and 4:
  √((40)(1+2+3+4)) = √((40)(10)) = √(400) = 20

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