For some reason, the long-abandoned Palestine Church building and the adjacent cemetery on Highway 424 between Clarksburg and Cedar Grove has repeatedly been the target of vandalism over the years.
And the church was hit again last week.
According to a report by Deputy Michael Sevarns with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department, he went to the church on October 16 after receiving a call advising that the former place of worship had been vandalized.
Upon arrival, Sevarns found significant damage to both the outside and inside of the building.
In his report, Sevarns noted the following damage and acts of vandalism:
•All of the storm windows had been busted out, including damage to some of the metal frames.
•The piano had been moved and flipped over on its front side.
•The back door was shattered.
•Rocks had been used to make two holes in the floor, and some of the floorboards had been ripped up and thrown into the holes.
•Four pews had been thrown or shoved through windows and left dangling there.
•Windows in the front double doors had been busted out.
Sevarns did not report any vandalism to the cemetery, but in the past, gravestones have been knocked over and some have been broken.
Authorities had not named any suspects in the vandalism as of press time.
Anyone with information regarding this crime should call the Sheriff’s Department at 731-986-8947.
