Another headstone vandalism incident at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Old Town has left the church community angry, confused and unsure what to do next.
Church members discovered the damage Friday, about a month after another headstone was knocked over in the same cemetery.
“The families from the stones that were damaged asked us to reach out to the paper that we are getting damage,” said Julie Hunter, chair of the church’s property committee. “It’s a historical cemetery.”
Hunter said she believes a “kid” likely toppled the stones, adding they had a professional examine the damage and confirm it was vandalism.
“I can’t imagine an adult would go and push the stone over just for fun,” she said, adding that the vandalism probably happens “after hours.”
“During the day, no one is reporting anything like this,” she said. “Unless you’re in the graveyard every day, you wouldn’t know the exact timing of when this happens.”
She urged parents in the area to keep an eye on their children and monitor where they’ve been.
Hunter said the church will be installing surveillance cameras to help catch whoever is responsible for the vandalism.
She said it costs about $495 to repair a toppled headstone, but the emotional toll on affected families is far greater.
“It is the disrespect that has been shown to the historical legacy of our town,” she said. “This is very disrespectful to the families.”
The origins of St. Andrew’s Church date back to 1794, and burials on the church grounds began in 1833.
