A historic shelter was trashed at the Colorado National Monument late Monday night or early Tuesday, the National Park Service said today.
Vandals broke windows, sprayed a fire extinguisher throughout and left a mess, according to the Park Service.
Investigators said vandals apparently walked into the area of the Devil’s Kitchen stone picnic shelter, as the parking-lot gate was closed and locked for the night.
Once at the shelter, the vandals broke 21 panes of glass, some original to the building, and also a mirror.
They also broke into a service closet, emptied a fire extinguisher onto the picnic tables and the ground area, broke door handles and latches, scattered debris and left human excrement.
The shelter was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1941.
The stone picnic shelter was placed on the National Register for Historic Structures in 1994 to recognize its national historic significance and the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps.
The Devil’s Kitchen parking lot, shelter and restrooms have been closed while law-enforcement agencies investigate. A substantial cleanup also is underway.
The picnic area is used by more than 100,000 visitors annually.
Anyone with information that might help investigators is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-221-7867.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
