Park offers reward for information on theft
Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials are offering a reward for information after artifacts were stolen from a locked display case in the Palmer House, located in the Cataloochee Valley area.
Stolen were a trowel, mill pock and coffee mill that were part of a historical display.
“While these items have some market value as mere antiques, their associative value with individual families and with the community of Cataloochee is immeasurable,” said Acting GSMNP nSuperintendent Clay Jordan. “These values make them truly irreplaceable.”
Park officials are offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals responsible for the theft. The unique, wall-mounted coffee mill was donated to the park in 1935 by a Cataloochee resident. The trowel and mill pick, which was used to cut and sharpen millstone grooves, were also part of the park’s permanent archival collection.
It is unlawful to disturb or deface historic resources within the park. Perpetrators may be sentenced up to 6 months in jail and or fined up to $5,000. Call the tip hotline with information, 865.436.1580.
