Placed: 9-11-07
Placed by: WWW (Formerly known as Chuck & Amy)
Location: Hampton, CT Windham County
Rated: Very easy, 4/10 of a mile round trip mostly on very level ground.

9/27/10 - Box checked and is in place and in good condition.

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas is a novelty Christmas song that was written by John Rox in 1950 and sung by 10 year old Gayla Peevey from Oklahoma in 1953. The song was released on a 78 record by Columbia Records and it became a nationwide hit. It just so happens that the Oklahoma Zoo wanted to purchase a hippopotamus at the same time the song came out. The zoo put together a big fundraising campaign to get kids to send in their change to get Gayla a hippopotamus for Christmas. The money (over $3,000) was indeed raised, and Gayla was presented with a baby hippopotamus named Matilda. Gayla in turn donated the hippo to the Oklahoma Zoo. Eventually another hippopotamus "Norman" was obtained. Matilda lived with Norman until her death in 1998 having 8 baby hippos during her lifetime.

From the intersection of routes 6 and 198 at Shermans corner in Chaplin, take route 6 east for 3 miles and take a left onto Potter Road. This is the entrance to Goodwin State Forest in Hampton CT. There you will see a wooden sign stating this and a sign which states Pine Acres Lake. There is also a boat ramp sign. Follow this road .6 of a mile and take the first right onto 11th Section Rd. Follow this for 1.4 miles until you come to a stop sign and a T intersection. This is Estabrooks Rd. Take a right turn onto Estabrooks Road and right around the corner you will see the old Airline Railroad Trail on both sides of the road. Park on the right just off the road.

Follow the Airline Railroad trail on the right (south) side of the road. You will soon see a stone wall off to your left following the rail trail. Walk until the wall ends. Leave the trail and walk up to and around to the east side of the wall. Follow the wall 7 steps. Between the wall and an oak tree is the box. Stamp the image in black and color it in at home.

To hear "I want A Hippopotamus For Christmas", click on this link:
http://www.minibite.com/christmas/hippo.htm

Back to Letterboxes