Historic marker defaced in rural Oconee

The ranger for the Andrew Pickens District of the Sumter National Forest, Robbie Sitzlar, has confirmed reports that someone recently defaced a marker that depicts the official South Carolina-North Carolina border at Ellicott’s Rock.  The marker was created by a survey crew that sought to establish the states’ border in 1813.  Someone applied a solution of white material to the marker, part of which forest service personnel have been able to remove.  Sitzlar yesterday remained at a loss as to why someone would deface the marker, but conceded it’s possible that passersby wanted to further highlight the marker so that it would show up better in a photograph.  Out of concern that additional damage could be done to the marker by attempting to further scrub off the white solution, Sitzlar said he has taken photographs to share with an architect to get his opinion.