Wichita Eagle medallion found in old refrigerator at city park

The Eagle Medallion Hunt puzzle was solved Monday morning by longtime hunter and first-time winner Ryan Philbrick.

Philbrick, 40, found the medallion after reading a Day 5 clue that pointed to a city park and nature preserve in north Wichita. It was hidden in an old refrigerator on the western edge of Heller’s Park.

Philbrick said he has been hunting for the medallion since he was in middle school. And although he has come close to winning in the past, this was his first win.

The Eagle Medallion Hunt is an annual tradition that coincides with Riverfest. It has been held each year since 1974, with a brief hiatus in the early 2000s and in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s prize was $1,000.

Each morning for eight days, or until the medallion is found, The Eagle publishes a clue guiding hunters to the disk’s location on public ground within Sedgwick County.

The fifth clue indicated the medallion was located between two Arkansases. Hellers Park is south of Earhart Environmental Magnet between the Little Arkansas River and Arkansas Avenue.

Previous clues sent Philbrick and his hunting buddies Preston Unruh and Aaron McMullin searching in parks near K-96 highway, he said. When Monday’s clue came out, he was the first of many to try Hellers Park, which in the early 1900s was a popular picnic destination and a stop along the Arkansas Valley Interurban railroad known as Heller’s Grove.

Philbrick, an engineer by day, said he spends much time in Wichita parks and nature areas jogging and “herping” — searching for wild reptiles and amphibians.

“The reason I knew some of that junk was there in Hellers Park was because I’ve actually looked under it for snakes,” Philbrick said.

The Day 3 clue had already pinged Hellers Park on Philbrick’s radar, he said.

“Two days ago, the ‘troublesome fruit’ clue had me thinking prickly pear cactus,” he said. “And Hellers and another park down in the south part of town are two places I’m familiar with that have the prickly pear cactus.”

When he arrived at Hellers Park early Monday morning, he said, he was the only person there. But that soon changed as others picked up on the clue.

“I didn’t have much time,” Philbrick said. “My plan was to spend about five or ten minutes in the park to check a couple spots and then hurry to make it to work by 8. So I knew the spot in the park — which is pretty far from where you park — that I wanted to get to and by the time I rounded the corner and was starting to get close to the area, I looked back and saw somebody about 100 yards behind me, so I thought, I really need to pick up my speed here,” Philbrick said.

As he left, he noticed more cars were pulling up to the park, he said.

Philbrick said he looks forward to the Eagle’s Medallion Hunt each year to kick-start the summer.

“This is a lot of fun,” Philbrick said.