WANTED! Private George Shannon
WANTED!
Private George Shannon
Lost in August of 1804
Wanted posters invite tourists to find the “lost” statues of Shannon in each community and collect passport stamps from participating businesses. Each community’s stamp features the picture of a different animal. Collecting all the stamps qualifies visitors to receive limited-edition 12″ x 18″ prints of Private Shannon or “antique” maps of the area showing key Lewis & Clark sites. Approximately 1500 prints, 125 reproductions and 500 maps had been distributed by the summer of 2007. An added incentive encourages visitors to compete for a $500 reward drawing. It was won in 2006 by a 10-year-old girl scout traveling with her troop.
The postal service also sponsored a one-day-only historic stamp cancellation at statue unveiling festivals and other events. The cancellations have now become collector’s items.
Find Shannon. Where is he this week? A life-sized mannequin in period dress, affectionately referred to as “Shannon the Mannequin,” was displayed at area businesses and state parks, where visitors could sign up for free one-day passes to parks and the Ashfall Fossil Beds. Yankton radio station KK93 sponsored quiz contests with questions about Shannon. Their Website featured photographs of winners posing with Shannon the Mannequin.