Hot Springs officials exploring replacement of Confederate plaque stolen in March

HOT SPRINGS - Local officials in Hot Springs are attempting to find out the rightful owner of the nearly 100-year-old Confederate plaque that was stolen from its monument earlier this year. 

According to Mayor Abby Norton, the land on which the monument sits, located behind the Hot Springs Elementary School on U.S. 25/70, is of dubious ownership.

Norton and the Board of Aldermen reached out to board attorney Ron Moore to find out who the monument belongs to, Norton said. 

"The Rumbough sisters paid to have the monument built, and the Daughters of the Confederacy donated the plaque," the mayor said. "I have no proof of that. It's just what I've always been told. But, we are trying to find out who legally owns the land." 

Alderman Jimmy Moore is working alongside the mayor to determine who has legal rights to the land but said he is hopeful the town can figure it out so it can begin the work to replace the monument.

"Hopefully we can find out and get it replaced," Moore said. "Several residents are wanting it back."

Hot Springs resident Mike Hensley, 74, is one of the residents who is advocating for the town to replace the plaque.

"I think the monument is great. It's part of the history," Hensley said. "It should be here, and it should stay here. As far as someone stealing it ... if somebody came into our town and stole something that was meaningful to our town (they should be reprimanded)."

Hot Springs Police Chief David Shelton said the department is still searching for leads related to the theft. 

Following the plaque's theft in March, Shelton said he suspected it was stolen by a non-resident.

"With the interstate traffic that comes through here, there's no way of telling who might have taken it," he said in March. "I went over the bank over there on the hillside and checked to see if somebody tossed it off into the woods. They've taken it, and it's never going to be found. If it is, it won't be in my lifetime, I'm sure." 

Hensley said he went to the site of the statue, located at 311 U.S. 25/70, shortly after its theft.

"I went up there and walked around the monument trying to see if I could see tire tracks or just anything, even along the bank, or there around it," Hensley said. "The only thing I did see was where it looked like they pulled it off and dropped it on the ground. It left an indentation on the ground about 2 or 3 feet in front of the face of the monument itself. I've heard that it was real heavy, so it must have been somebody with a car."

Hensley said he hopes to see the town replace the monument.

"They've got pictures of it, so if there's some way to inexpensively duplicate it and put it back up there good to where people aren't going to steal it, I'd like to see that," Hensley said. 

The police chief said he was unaware of any plans to replace the monument, and said he didn't know how much money a replacement statue would cost. 

Hot Springs resident Phillip Solomon said he felt the town would be better suited devoting the funds to address other needs. 

"I think it's a waste of money to replace it," Solomon said. "The way society is currently, it's just going to get defiled and defaced again and again and again." 

Shelton acknowledged the possibility of a replacement plaque also being defaced or stolen, adding that if the town decides to replace the plaque, stricter surveillance measures could be taken to avoid a repeat offense.

"If it got messed with once I'm sure someone would try to tamper with it again," the police chief said. "There's been talk of putting a chain link fence around it with cameras in the event that it is replaced."