Vandalism ‘too graphic to share’ closes fall foliage overlook in Georgia, officials say
An act of vandalism in Georgia left a fall leaf viewing area defaced with messages and symbols, officials say.
The well-known fall foliage overlook in the northwestern part of the state was forced to close due to damage, some of which was “too graphic to share,” the U.S. Forest Service said last week on Facebook.
A photo shows a pentagram scrawled onto a deck that hovers over a landscape of trees in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, according to the post. The symbols are five-pointed stars often “used as a magic or occult symbol,” Merriam-Webster says.
Drawings and words — including an anti-cop message — also marred at least one building, the pictures show.
The vandalism was spray painted onto the surfaces, the Chattanooga Times Free Press and other news outlets report.
It happened at Johns Mountain Overlook Road, which boasts a hiking trail that leads to an observation platform, the forest service says. The area is in Walker County and roughly 35 miles southeast of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Officials say the site is closed “indefinitely” during repairs and encouraged visitors to find other places to view fall foliage.
It’s not the only time someone has cleaned up the area.
Staff and volunteers recently picked up 49 bags of trash and 125 tires from the Chattahoochee, the U.S. Forest Service said on Facebook.
“When senseless damage like this vandalism and destruction of public facilities occurs, it takes away from our capacity to make progress addressing other critical maintenance needs,” the post said.
The incidents sparked reactions on the service’s Facebook page.
“What a shame to close the landmark,” one social media user wrote. “I get it, the defacing is an affront but doesn’t the beauty and magnitude of nature supercede (sic) the desire to censor speech?”
Another wrote: “I don’t understand the mentality of people who would do this? What did they gain out of this? It’s the most uneducated behavior. Thank you U.S Forest Service for your service! I hope this beautiful mountain overlook recover soon.”
The U.S. Forest Service as of Monday morning hadn’t announced on Facebook whether anyone is facing charges in connection with the vandalism.
Earlier this year, a man pleaded guilty to damaging a historic lighthouse in North Carolina, The News & Observer reported. The National Park Service said he carved letters on the structure with a pocket knife.
