It’s one of the most revered places to visit in U.S. history.
But a group of vandals decided to put a black eye on historic Gettysburg National Park.
According to a National Park Services (NPS) press release, two incidents of vandalism have reportedly taken place at Gettysburg National Park within one week.
The first incident happened on August 15 when park officials reported that multiple boulders had been defaced with graffiti inscribed onto the faces of large stones on Little Round Top, NPS reported.
The second incident took place on August 19, when visitors of the historic site reported that graffiti had been spray-painted on the historic War Department Observation Tower.
‘Our Hearts Sank’: Authorities Discover Vandalism At Gettysburg Battlefieldhttps://t.co/GhsxbGezml
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 24, 2024
“Our hearts sank when these two cases of vandalism were reported within days of each other,” Kristina Heister, park superintendent, shared in the NPS press release.
“We were fearful that the graffiti carved into the rock may be there for future generations. I’m so very thankful for our amazing preservation staff, who expertly restored these sites quickly so visitors could continue to experience them as they were intended.”
She added, “They truly are the heroes of this hallowed ground!”
Thankfully, park preservationists came to the rescue and were able to remove all signs of the vandalism by August 20.
Police have been able to identify a suspect involved in the spray-painting at the historic military park, according to the Gettysburg Borough Police Department.
Police name suspect in spray paint vandalism at Gettysburg National Military Park https://t.co/oNCLNOsfwz is the link
— NPS Ranger News (@nps_ranger) August 23, 2024
If found guilty, the subject or subjects may face up to six months in jail or be fined up to $5,000, which is the penalty for vandalizing a National Park, the NPS said.