As I watched the news the other night, I got angry. On the screen: video of a Northland museum that had been trashed by vandals. Historic antiques were smashed, buildings dating back centuries were covered in fire extinguisher dust and windows were broken out. Some of the items cannot be replaced or repaired. And the question I keep coming back to is, Why?

Sadness mixed with anger as I got to look at the Shoal Creek Living History Museum for myself. The president of the group that runs the museum, Sharon Sumner, showed me around. She pointed out the antique piano worth 10-thousand dollars, or at least it was worth that much before the vandals decided to spray it with a fire extinguisher. Now Sumner has to figure out how to clean it up. An historic loom, that was painstakingly rebuilt by an elderly volunteer, is now broken in several places. The hearts of the volunteers at the museum are broken, too.

But they're not giving in. Sumner tells me not one single event at the museum will be cancelled. Hundreds of school children visit every year, and they will again this fall. The phone is ringing off the hook from people who want to help out. I met a man who restores furniture as he came to the Thornton Mansion on the museum grounds. He had never been to the museum, but when he saw the story on the news, he wanted to help.

I just can't imagine why someone would brazenly destroy historic property. Police believe it was juveniles, and beer bottles were found on the scene. Pranks are a common act for young people, but this is something much worse, much more sinister.

Perhaps some good will come of this: more people may now become aware of the Shoal Creek Natural History Museum. It's along Barry Road, right by Hodge Park golf course about two miles west of Liberty. I promised Sharon I'd be back to see everything when the clean-up is done. I hope others will do the same.