KLAS-TV Channel 8 News Las VegasGraffiti Destroys 'The Great Unconformity'
Vandals and taggers have completely trashed an interpretive site on the east side of the valley, but help is on the way. The site was established a decade ago at a spot known as "the great unconformity" but last fall it fell victim to vandalism. A report Eyewitness News aired back in November caught the attention of two local schools, among others.
The interpretive site was built in the mid 90s to be vandal-proof, but even a concrete monument was no match for the scofflaws who trashed the place. The main kiosk was burned, smashed, and completely covered with graffiti. Every plaque on the long trail up the mountain was tagged or destroyed. Someone even painted the rocks that make up the great unconformity. And everywhere are broken booze bottles and other trash.
UNLV geologist, Steve Rowland said, "It's just been destroyed and it's really a shame." Rowland helped create the interpretive site years ago and knows better than anyone how unique the place is. It's called a great unconformity because two layers of rock are side by side there -- one layer is 550 million years old. The other is 1.7 billion years old.
Geologist Steve Rowland said, "So, there's 1.2 billion years of earth history missing at that place. It's a very special geological site, especially for teaching purposes."
That lesson isn't lost on the principals at Lilliam Hickey Elementary and Bob Bailey Middle School, which sit side-by-side just a stone's throw from the mountain. The schools have essentially adopted the great unconformity. Now, it's their baby.
David Harcourt, principal at Hickey Elementary, said, "Yes, it's very special and they know that. I'm not sure they know quite why yet, but eventually they will."
Students at the two schools have spent weeks studying the history and geology of the area and on their first visit, they took turns delivering oral reports of their findings they may be youngsters, but the extent of the vandalism damage hit home.
Dr. Karen Paquette, principal at Bailey Middle, said, "When they got off the bus, they were astounded. They were expecting to see the marker."
After returning from the top of the mountain, the kids got down to business. Armed with shovels and buckets, they took a first stab at a cleanup carting away an assortment of garbage.
The two schools have obtained a private grant to establish the Sunrise Science Center. It will be the mechanism for future study of the mountain and a cleanup that will likely be an ongoing effort for years to come.
Former State Senator Tom Hickey, whose wife Lilliam is the namesake for one of the two schools, is working with geologist Steve Roland and others in trying to get help from the BLM and the state to restore the site and to somehow protect it from further vandalism.
Email investigative reporter George Knapp at gknapp@klastv.com
