Powell Museum boat vandalized

Cynthia Smith, who works for the Powell Museum, looks at the tipped and damaged boat.

Early in the morning Friday June 15, at approximately 1 a.m. Page police discovered the boat exhibit outside of the Powell Museum had been vandalized.

From the scene left behind it appears that the Emma Dean had been rocked back and forth repeatedly until the metal braces and bolts holding it in place ripped free from the boat and resulted in it crashing to the pavement.

The boat exhibit has been an iconic feature of Page since it was first placed outside of the museum back in 1979.

According to museum board President Mark Law, Stan Jones or “Mr. Lake Powell” as he is known to locals, was instrumental in developing Page into what it is today and he is the one who originally obtained the boat from an old Disney movie lot in Barstow, Ariz.

The boat is a replica of the ones used by John Wesley Powell during his original exploration of the territory, and had been fashioned for use in an old Disney television movie based on his journeys titled “Ten Who Dared.”

The damage to the bottom of the boat and the metal braces that held it in place is extensive enough that careful planning will be needed in order to repair and remount the boat, a task that will be even more difficult due to the location of the display, said Law.

Law said several members of the community have offered their services in remounting the boat and one possible solution maybe to use a forklift to lift the approximately 1,800-pound display high enough to reposition it onto the pedestals once more sturdy brackets have been installed.

“The steel brackets will be the major cost here,” said Law adding that the current estimate he has in mind is around $500, which would be paid out of pocket by the Powell Museum until possible reimbursement from its insurance.

The Powell Museum has recently elected several new board members whose first task will be to discuss and come up with possible plans for the repair as well as deciding what if any further security measures to implement around the facility.

Of the destruction, Law said he doesn’t feel that it was premeditated or a direct attack on the museum, he believes it was nothing more than opportunistic vandalism.

“We’re a community museum and vandalism happens all of the time to different degrees. If anyone happens to know anything please contact us or Captain Ray Varner of the Page Police Department.”

In addition to the vandalism at the museum, Slot Canyon Hummer Adventures in the adjacent building had an extremely large piece of petrified wood stolen from out in front of it the same night.

Page Police have no leads at this time and ask that anyone with information regarding this crime please come forward.

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