Update: While artifacts were been taken from Joshua Tree National Park, it appears that it happened several years ago and not recently, as Z107.7 reported:
We appreciate The Sun Runner pointing things out. Also, don’t take things for Joshua Tree. Ever.
Original Post:
The Trump Shutdown has been wreaking chaos on Joshua Tree National Park for the past two weeks and, despite the best efforts of volunteers, the shutdown has led to overflowing toilets and damage to the park from people illegally going off-roading. Now, Joshua Tree has closed two areas of the park after someone stole a heavy ore car and other artifacts from at least two remote former mining sites.
Carey’s Castle cabin and gold mine (where the ore car was taken) and the El Sid gold mine (also known as El Cid) have both been closed, according to Z107.7 Joshua Tree National Park Superintendent David Smith told the radio station that people are illegally driving to the historic sites and taking things.
“Some members of the public do not realize that the historical and archaeological significance of places like this are protected to preserve our heritage for all Americans to see,” he said.
The areas will now be closed until the areas are secured and an archaeological survey is completed.
On December 11, Donald Trump proclaimed, “I am proud to shutdown the government” over his border wall. A recent poll showed 7 out of 10 Americans believe Trump’s wall should not be a priority.
This is actually incorrect. El Sid and Carey’s Castle were closed in early 2016 and have been closed since. The ore cart mentioned as being stolen from Carey’s Castle was stolen many years before that, and during my interview with Superintendent David Smith in 2016, he said nothing had recently been stolen from Carey’s Castle, but artifacts had been taken from El Sid.
There is no current JTNP news release about any additional thefts. I have, however, seen an incorrect story on Z-107’s website that confused the closures of 2016 with the current shutdown.