Letter To The Editor: Arrowhead Monument Damage Is 'Sickening,' Catch And Make The Vandals Pay

Letter To The Editor:

The destruction of the Arrowhead Monument at Piasa Park in Alton is sickening. I do hope if there's not already video footage there of the vandals, that there will be some camera footage like the ones on State Street in Alton.

If they catch who did it, don't delay the court process, but make them pay in full, and work in a service capacity too for the Alton Parks and Recreation Department.

I'm from Eureka, MO., and I typically drive over to Alton once a month and always stop at Piasa Park, and end up picking up broken beer bottles, and trash when I arrive. I'd stop at all the River Accesses on both sides of the river, visit Goodwill in Godfrey, and sometimes St. Clair Square Mall, and watch the sun go down on the river, hit Fast Eddie's, and drive back to Missouri where I stay.

I have seen the same thing happen in Eureka, MO., at Ink's Cemetery near the Legends Golf Subdivision. Ink's was a Cemetery with the Pacific Battalion of the Missouri Home Guard area residents made it up (males) at the beginning of the Civil War, for the Union. The cemetery went unnoticed until the subdivision moved in.

School + Sports Physicals for One Low Price: $40

Shop Local

Airline Care Clinic

Get This Deal →

Volunteers cleaned the cemetery and dedicated and got new military stones. Then somebody went in and broke all the stones. Some people - John Maurath of the Missouri Civil War Museum in St Louis - glued some of the old and new stones back together. But then again, vandals rebroke them to where they'll never be fixed again. And the government, and the V.A., won't keep issuing military stones if they keep getting broken. All of this is very sad.

I hope they catch who damaged the Arrowhead Monument in Alton. Punish them, with no slap on the wrist.

"Rooster" J.L. Simpson

in Eureka, Missouri, across the rivers

Opinions expressed in this section are solely those of the individual authors and do not represent the views of RiverBender.com or its affiliates. We provide a platform for community voices, but the responsibility for opinions rests with their authors.

More like this:

Volunteers Learn How to Care for Gravestones at Alton Cemetery

Jun 19, 2026

Grave Restoration Workshop to Preserve Local History at Alton Cemetery

Jun 2, 2026

Vintage Voices Preps for Special 25th Anniversary Performances

Sep 17, 2026

Edwardsville Art Fair Showcases Local and International Talent

2 days ago

Statement From Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza On The Investigation Into Crematory Operations At Bohemian National Cemetery

Aug 10, 2026