By Charly SHELTON

Take one part history, one part race, one part rally and one part treasure hunt and what have you got? A fun Saturday afternoon. The Little Landers Historical Society is about to host its first-ever historical trivia contest/scavenger hunt, Chasing History.

“The idea came from our Ways and Means director [Karen von Gunten],” said Regina Clark, Little Landers Museum director. “She was looking up things on the Internet, just general fundraising things that look like they would be fun, and she brought several ideas to the board of directors of the Little Landers Historical Society. We picked this one because it sounded, first of all, educational and it was historical. It sounded like fun, so we went with it and we fine-tuned it with our ideas.”

The event, which will be held next Saturday, July 14, will begin at Bolton Hall at 2:30 p.m. Players can reserve online their team ahead of time and register their car. On the day, teams arrive and get their 16 clues, riddles designed to challenge the mind but not be unknowable, and each will lead the teams to different historical locations around the area.

“You don’t have to be really smart [to find the answer to the clues] and you can just be creative and go outside the box to think of an answer,” Clark said. “Just be creative in your thought process. You can use your cellphone to look things up on the Internet. We did a test run on some of our younger docents to make sure that it would be suitable for people of all ages. The clues are pretty clever. You have to think creatively.”

Upon discovering the answer to the clue, the team hops in their registered car and drives over to the location. There they gather for a picture at the location and email it to the game runners, who will save it for the evening festivities. After the whole day is done and all the clues are discovered, teams head to McGroarty Arts Center for a dinner celebration and photo slideshow. Each of the photos emailed throughout the day are corralled into a big slide show for the assembled diners and the photos will be judged by three artists from MGAC. Prizes will be awarded.

“We’re hoping that people will be very creative when they take pictures. Bring props or wear a goofy hat or do something that shows that you have a real team working together,” Clark said. “[The MGAC artists] will be judging for creativity all the photographs that are being received.”

The “chase” is divided into four area sections –Sun Valley, Shadow Hills, Sunland, and Tujunga/La Crescenta.

“There are four areas and within each of those four areas we have prizes for first, second and third place in creative photos. So we have 12 prizes for that. We also have prizes for the most locations found,” said Clark. “It’s just going to be fun for everyone to gather up at McGroarty Arts Center after going on this adventure.”

Along with the prize presentations and photo slide show, there will be a Mexican dinner served and beer and wine available for purchase as the celebration continues into the evening. Tickets for the dinner are available for $15 per person, and registration for the vehicles for the scavenger hunt is $40 regardless of how many people are in the vehicle. This fee provides the team with clues to each location. For a registration of $75, teams can get directions to each location without having to solve riddles and just go for a nice ride on a historical tour of the area. Registration can be made at the Little Landers website, LittleLandersHistoricalSociety.org.

“It’s an adventure,” Clark said. “We’re trying to take you on an adventure when you’re participating in this.”

  Charly Shelton