Vandals hit New Boston park

The Old Courthouse Park in New Boston on Farm to Market Road 1840 was apparently vandalized. Several items have been destroyed and will require replacing.

Members of the Dogwood Garden Club of New Boston, along with many volunteers, spent years cleaning up the park after the courthouse burned.

They had a wall built around the perimeter of the old courthouse building and sold bricks to those who wanted to honor a special person, family or Bowie County founding family. The bricks, etched with the names, were then placed on top of the 2-foot-high wall.

Vandals apparently have destroyed several of these bricks, tearing them off the wall and smashing them to pieces.

There's a large hole in the wall created by removing several more bricks.

The garden club had a pavilion built, complete with concrete slab, and outfitted the area with cement picnic tables and benches. Vandals have apparently destroyed several of the benches and two of the tables.

And a decorative birdbath is upturned and broken.

In addition, lattice is torn from the gazebo the garden club had built for the residents of Bowie County. Until recently, the gazebo has been used for weddings, sunrise services, picnics and family reunions.

Inside the gazebo, a pile of broken bricks with names was found in the corner.

Members of the Dogwood Garden Club have worked painstakingly for years to beautify the park by building the structures, planting trees and plants.

Residents around the park are being asked to help the local police and sheriff department by keeping a watch on the park to help prevent any further damage.

Anyone with information should call the New Boston Police Department at 903-628-3771.