Vandals Damage An Indiana Covered Bridge, Write ‘Hail Satin’

Criminals in Indiana have vandalized an 1880’s era covered bridge, spray-painting the words “Hail Satin,” amidst other graffiti, on the ancient structure, The Greencastle Banner-Graphic is reporting.

The Houck Covered Bridge was built in 1880 in Putnam County, Indiana, about 50 miles west of Indianapolis. Like many covered bridges in Indiana (and elsewhere), it had fallen on hard times. However, the Putnam County Highway Department recently repaired and repainted the ailing bridge, which makes the vandalism all the more painful, especially to Karla Lawless of the Putnam County Convention and Visitors Bureau, which wants Putnam County’s covered bridges to be tourist attractions in the rural county.

“We were just out there last week, and it was so fresh and so clean and new. Here we are wanting to utilize this bridge and put some money back into the county, and this happens. Shame on these people.”

Apparently meticulous attention to spelling wasn’t a concern of the Hoosier vandals. Rather than invoking the Prince of Darkness, they invoked a soft and luxurious fabric.

Ms. Lawless believes it was teenagers responsible for the vandalism.

“I’d like to find these kids and take them home to their parents. They don’t even realize that their parents or other relatives are paying taxes (for upkeep) of these bridges.”

According to WBIW (Bedford, Indiana), the vandals also spray-painted racial slurs, an Anarchy symbol, and “Robert Loves Karen” on the covered bridge.

They also spray-painted something that was probably intended to be a swastika.

If you’re a practitioner of Buddhism or Hinduism, you can probably see why the vandals’ attempt at a Swastika is, like “Hail Satin,” rather careless.

Pat McFadden of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department said he plans to investigate the vandalism of the covered bridge, but admits there isn’t much to work with.

“We have absolutely nothing but the graffiti on the bridge to go on.”

Covered bridges throughout the United States are falling victim to disrepair, neglect, the elements, and vandalism, reports The Tampa Tribune. About 15,000 covered bridges once dotted the country in the 1800’s; now only an estimated 750 remain, and many of those are at serious risk of disappearing.

Highway crews will be out to thoroughly clean the vandalized covered bridge once the weather warms up.

[Images courtesy of: The Greencastle Banner-Graphic,Army of Awesome People, Fashion Style Fan, Pixgood]