ELBERT COUNTY, Ga. (TWH) – In the early morning hours of Wednesday, July 6, an act of violence led to the total destruction of the Georgia Guidestones. The stones, though steeped in controversy, have not only been a major tourist attraction for the town of Elberton, Georgia since their inception over 40 years ago but had become a part of the town and its culture.
The stones have piqued the curiosity of travelers from all over the world and have consistently piqued the curiosity of Newspapers, TV hosts, and political and religious agendas.
The Destruction of the Georgia Guidestones
The Georgia Guidestones, designed to guide humanity in the event of a global catastrophe, possessed not only a clock, but a calendar and a compass using ancient technology. Technology that could still be used without electricity, using the earth and the earth’s celestial cycles. The Wild Hunt explored the mysterious origin and controversies of the Guidestones earlier this year.
The Stones, also known as “America’s Stonehenge” (Not to be confused with the rock monument in Salem, New Hampshire that bears the same name) were essentially destroyed by an act of vandalism around 4:00 AM Wednesday morning. The explosion caused the entire structure to become unstable, and was heard by neighbors who lived less than a mile away from the monument.
The damaged remains of the Guidestone via GBI
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) released the statement around noon on Wednesday stating that an explosive device had been detonated by “unknown individuals” and as personnel arrived on the scene they discovered a large portion of the structure had been destroyed.
After hours of investigation from the GBI and local authorities from the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office, the GBI announced that the stones had been demolished for “safety reasons.”
The video of the bombing was also released, including the image of a silver sedan speeding from the scene shortly after the explosion. The investigation is currently ongoing.
The Mystery Killed the Stones
From the moment the Guidestones were unveiled in March of 1980, political and religious organizations have called for their removal, claiming the stones promoted the practice of eugenics and genocide as per the interpretation of the stone’s Guidelines for the future human race.
Two of the guidelines etched on the stone – Image credit: E. Thornton
They were erected with the help of Wyatt Martin of Granite City Bank and spearheaded by a man who used a pseudonym, R.C. Christian, who was backed by an anonymous group of “Loyal Americans.” The Elberton Granite Finishing Company was contracted to build the stones based on a detailed set of instructions provided by Mr. Christian.
The owner of the Granite Finishing Company, Joe Fendley and Wyatt Martin were the only two men in Elberton that knew the identity of the man who commissioned the stones, both men have since passed and have taken the secret to their grave.
TWH reached out to the family of Fendley regarding the act of vandalism to get a personal perspective of this historical monument.
Melissa Fendley Caruso, daughter of the former owner and president of Elberton Granite Finishing Company, Joe Fendley, stated:
“ I am completely heartbroken, this was part of my family’s legacy. The Guidestones were a tourist attraction and help put our little town on the map.”
She also stated, “It was hard to wrap my head around the act of terrorism that destroyed them today.” A concern of Caruso’s was also the fact the rest of the stones were demolished and not salvaged but she “understood the safety hazard.”
Jackson Caruso, Caruso’s son, also gave a statement to TWH regarding the most current manifestation of attack on the stones, Satanism.
“I’m saddened by today’s attack on the Guidestones. They’re Elberton’s largest attraction and represent the granite industry, which has kept our town and county going for many years. I know my grandfather would be just as heartbroken as I am, both because of the attack and the false Satanic narrative that has, unfortunately, only gained traction.”
Not unlike the 1980s version of “Satanic Panic,” the hysteria has once again started to sweep areas of the nation. Right-winged politicians and religious leaders throughout the country have called for “witch hunts,” book burnings, and most recently the destruction of the Georgia Guidestones, as they supposedly have ties to an order that is in line with Lucifer himself.
Kandiss Taylor – Image via Ballotpedia
Kandiss Taylor, former gubernatorial candidate for the state of Georgia called for the destruction of the Georgia Guidestones and vowed to make an executive order doing so if she were to win the election.
Her platform emphasized the “Satanic nature” of the Guidestones and on her website issued a statement that “on her first day as Governor of Georgia, she would DEMOLISH the Demonic plans of “our” enemy. Also stating she would “turn the Georgia Guidestones into dust”.
Taylor was also featured on a web exclusive with John Oliver that highlighted her disdain for the Guidestones due to their satanic nature on May 29th of this year, entitled Rocks: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver.
In the segment, Oliver also cites a somewhat dubious documentary, “Dark Clouds Over Elberton” that purports to reveal the person who designed and funded the construction of the Guidestones. The film was produced by a conservative Christian filmmaker and leans heavily towards supporting the Satanic conspiracy theories about the monument.
Beyond the claims made in the film, there has been no evidence that reveals who commissioned and designed the Guidestones. If the information in the film were verifiable and legitimate, it seems likely that major news outlets would have reported the fact.
Those who oppose this rhetoric have called for an investigation into Taylor and her associates in regard to the act of vandalism, due to her accrediting “God,” for the destruction of the stones.
Taylor declined to comment to TWH, though she released a video entitled, “Fake Media on Notice” in response to the Guidestones being destroyed. In the video, Taylor vehemently denies having any part in the incident and insists that she supports “law and order” and “that anyone who vandalizes property should be arrested.”
She goes on to state that she would have gone through the proper legal channels to remove the stones if she had been elected. Though how she would’ve accomplished this is unclear since the Guidestones resided on private land and enjoy the same protections as monuments on public land.
Taylor lost the Georgia Republican gubernatorial primary to Brian Kemp in May by over 70 points.
Georgia Guidestones (2020) – Image credit: Judson McCranie – CC BY-SA 3.0
As the investigation into the destruction of the stones is ongoing, the small town of Elberton, Georgia mourns not only a piece of its history and historical significance but now potentially faces an economic crisis.
The Guidestones have brought millions of visitors to the area since the monument was installed in the early 1980s. Tourism has been a major economic player for the small town with mysterious stones that stood atop a field at the highest point in the county.
Mystery, intrigue, and purported conspiracy that had shrouded the structure for over 40 years led many people from around the world to this small town. Sadly, a mystery that had captured the fascination of journalists, writers, and TV personalities may have also led to its undoing.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has asked anyone with information to come forward.
The structure has now been completely demolished for safety reasons and the Georgia Guidestones are no more.
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