GETTYSBURG, Pa. — It turns out a case of suspected vandalism at the Arkansas Memorial in the Gettysburg National Military Park was a false alarm, the park's public affairs office said Thursday.
It turns out what some battlefield visitors thought was a foreign substance covering the monument was actually a biological cleaning solution used as part of preservation efforts, park officials said.
The substance was applied to the memorial Wednesday afternoon as a rainstorm passed through the area, park officials say. The cleaning solution, commonly referred to as D2, requires the surface to be cleaned to be wet before it's applied, according to park officials.
Wednesday's rain gave preservation staff the perfect opportunity to apply the D2 to the Arkansas Memorial. The solution was allowed to set up overnight before the memorial was cleaned Thursday morning, park officials say.
"During any rain event, it is common practice for the park’s monument preservation staff to apply D2 Biological Solution to monuments in order to kill any bio growth, such as mold, algae, and lichens, on the stone," park officials say. "Staff have found, over many years of experience, that passive application of this cleaning agent in the rain has provided favorable results.
"This has been most notable on the Gettysburg National Cemetery headstones and the Soldiers’ National Monument marble figures. The rain wets the stone and then provides a rinsing action for the solution."
When D2 is applied, the mold, algae, and lichens on the stone surface turn different colors as they are being killed, park staff said. When the reds, yellows, and oranges mix over time, the overall color turns very dark.
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This is what was reported as vandalism by park visitors, according to park officials.
"Monument preservation staff will focus on applying as many D2 Biological Solution applications as needed until the Arkansas Memorial is completely clean," park officials say. "The residual yellow and orange 'staining' that is seen is dead bio growth that will be bleached out by the sun over the next 3-5 days."
The preservation work is all part of the park's normal monument maintenance, according to park officials.
"Gettysburg National Military Park staff appreciates public interest in protecting the many battlefield resources, but we cordially ask visitors who suspect monument vandalism to contact park staff first before taking to social media," the park's statement says. "This can best be done by email via the Contact Us link on our website, by sending us a Direct Message on our Facebook page, or by contacting any park employee anywhere they might be working on the battlefield or at the Museum and Visitor Center."
