Georgia Granite Oddity Destroyed in Blast
ELBERTON, Ga. — A granite structure as enigmatic as its inspiration is no more.
The so-called Georgia Guidestones, situated in a rural clearing north of this granite-industry hub, were seriously damaged by an explosion early July 6, and later destroyed in the interest of public safety.
The structure, often compared to Stonehenge, was built by an anonymous benefactor in 1980 and consisted of four granite slabs connected to a center pillar, with a capstone on top. Surveillance video captured the explosion, and later showed a car leaving the scene. Both the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office are investigating.
The Guidestones were located in a field approximately nine miles outside of Elberton and made from local granite. It’s unclear why the 19-foot granite slabs were there, or what they meant. Only one man claimed to know the identity of the benefactor who paid for them. The slabs displayed a 10-part message espousing the conservation of mankind for future generations in 12 languages.
It also served as an astronomical calendar. It was designed so that every day at noon the sun would shine through a narrow hole in the structure, illuminating the day’s date.
The mysterious structure drew mixed reviews over the years. Some conspiracy theorists claimed that the stones’ messages, including the idea to keep the planet’s population below 500 million – stood for an elite plot to depopulate the globe.
However, the structure became a local tourist attraction over the years, and many local businesses are offering their time and resources to rebuild it.
The Elberton Granite Association, when contacted by an Atlanta television station, noted it would be charge of rebuilding the monument if approved by Elbert County officials. No plans for erecting a new structure has been advanced at this time.
An online article claiming that Albert Bourla, CEO of drug giant Phizer Inc, would fund the rebuilding turned out to be a hoax. (The Tweet showing an associated article from the New York Times also proved to be false.)
