Vandals Target Historic Building With Spray Paint In Guthrie

Vandals targeted a historic building in Guthrie. Graffiti was found on the outside of the State Capital Publishing Museum Sunday morning. This is the fourth time this has happened in the last six months. As volunteers try to raise money to restore the museum, this was the last thing they needed.

“It's really disheartening because this is already a mammoth project,” said Lynn Bilodeau, CEO of State Capital Publishing Museum.

For Bilodeau, the museum is special.

“This is where statehood was announced,” he said. “I get choked up talking about this building.”

The building was built in 1902 and served as a printing press.

“When this was built, it was the largest dedicated printing facility west of the Mississippi,” he said.

Bilodeau says they are in the process of raising money to restore parts of the building but keep facing setbacks from vandals.

“We're already behind the 8-ball we feel like on this,” he said.

Sunday morning, he woke up to tags and other markings spray painted on the outside of the building.

“I think it said KTK116, and then either hollow or hello misspelled,” he said.

What it spells is more time and money out of his pocket.

“We just have a huge path in front of us to get to where this building needs to be,” he said.

Police are investigating and Bilodeau says officers did collect evidence including a spray can that was left behind by the vandals. Meanwhile, he spent a rainy Sunday trying to clean it off himself to save money, while keeping his eye on the future.

“We going to keep going, we're obviously not going to quit just because somebody wanted to mark up the building,” he said.

There is a $500 reward offered to anyone with information leading to an arrest. If you have any information, contact Guthrie Police.

Bilodeau says he needs $10 million to restore the building. He hoping to get there through grant money and donations. A fundraiser at the museum is set for October 13 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Click here for more information or to donate directly on the website.