Cookeville’s historic West Side becoming a permanent family scavenger hunt, with bronze elephant sculptures making their debut during this weekend’s Art Prowl.
Tennessee Tech instructor Colleen Mestayer created Ellie’s Ice Cream Mystery, a walking adventure connecting downtown businesses and landmarks through a student-written storybook. Mestayer said she was inspired after participating in a similar adventure during her travels.
“I went to a conference in Greenville, South Carolina, and they have a little downtown engagement project called Mice on Main, and I loved it,” Mestayer said. “I did the scavenger hunt and all that, and came back and said, ‘We need this in Cookeville.”
Mestayer said the adventure follows a mother elephant named Ellie as she searches for her daughter, Minnie, who runs away from Cream City with a 10-scoop ice cream cone. Families follow the story through locations including the Depot Museum, CPAC, the playground, the library, and Visit Cookeville along with local businesses.
Mestayer said approximately eight-inch bronze sculptures mark the route, each depicting Minnie holding an ice cream cone with fewer scoops. The walking adventure takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes, with some sculptures placed where visitors must look carefully to discover them.
“I just think kids are going to be so excited to just be able to find the little bronze statue,” Mestayer said. “And I hope that families do, you know, frequent each of these locations, but I just want them to experience the wonderful feel that our downtown area has.”
Mestayer said completing the project required city council approval, coordination with Tennessee Tech’s legal department and the transfer of the finished work to Friends of the Depot. Former Cookeville Leisure Services Director Rick Woods helped secure the city’s approval, while other businesses sponsored the sculptures and installation.
Mestayer said five Tennessee Tech students collaborated to write the storybook, while a student illustrator and graphic designer helped prepare it for publication. The finished project provided students with published work they could include in their professional portfolios.
“So they’re getting real, hands-on experience that sometimes classrooms don’t pan out into the real world, but this project did,” Mestayer said.
Mestayer said the sculptures will remain downtown after Art Prowl, creating an attraction families can revisit throughout the year. She said the project comes as Cookeville’s downtown has experienced significant changes since she moved to the community nearly 11 years ago.
“So I just hope it gives one more little push to promote Cookeville’s downtown area and to show the connection that our university has with the city of Cookeville,” Mestayer said.
Mestayer said families can find the scavenger hunt through the Friends of the Depot website. Printed storybooks are available for purchase at the Depot and Visit Cookeville along with participating downtown businesses.