A string of vandalism has left staff at the Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford frustrated and in disbelief.
This comes after windows were broken at the home with rocks and bricks multiple times over several days. Hartford Police are investigating.
“This house is a gem that is irreplaceable and to have it desecrated like this, it’s been terrible for all of us," museum executive director Pieter Roos said.
Pieces of shattered glass mark where windows were broken at the Mark Twain House. Museum staff said this is from a string of vandalism that spanned over several days.
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“People taking tours today haven’t been able to see two rooms of the house because police need it intact for evidentiary reasons," Roos said.
Roos said that on Dec. 23, rocks were thrown, breaking a window that was quickly repaired. Then, on New Year’s Eve, chunks of asphalt were thrown, breaking another window and damaging a statue’s hand inside.
“The fingers and the nose. That’s why when you look at classical statures, the nose is missing. It’s delicate. The fingers are usually missing. It’s delicate,” Roos said.
Then on Tuesday night, bricks were taken from the museum’s garden and used to break more windows. Roos said he believes three people are responsible for all the damage, which will cost between $15,000 to $20,000 to repair.
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“In large part now, we have to enhance our security, but also conservation of fine art is a very expensive business,” Roos said.
Back in 2015, a window was broken when a vandal targeted buildings along Farmington Avenue. Roos said the current damage is the worst the museum has ever seen.
“When somebody comes and breaks it another day or two later, it seems like an act of futility at that point,” he said.
He said the house preserves the legacy of Mark Twain, a celebrated author who was known for progressive views on civil rights.
Roos hopes the vandals realize what they’ve done wrong.
“If they understood it. If they really understood it, they wouldn’t have done something like this to begin with,” Roos said.
Anyone with information is being asked to call Hartford Police Detective Anthony Buccheri at (860) 757-4175 or Bucca001@hartford.gov.
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