A dark substance seen on the Arkansas Memorial that some believed to be an act of vandalism is a biological cleaning solution, the Gettysburg National Military Park staff confirmed in a press release.
The confusion began when park visitors saw a dark-colored foreign substance on the memorial on July 22. Some posted photos on social media to inquire about the alleged vandalism.
Monument preservation staff at Gettysburg National Military Park sprayed a biological cleaning solution, commonly referred to as D2, on the Arkansas Memorial on July 22 as rain began to fall.
The cleaning solution needs the surface to be wet before application and the summer rains provided a perfect opportunity to do so, according to the official press release. Monument preservation staff began cleaning the memorial the following morning on July 23.
It is also common for the park’s monument preservation staff to apply D2 Biological Solution to monuments in order to stop any bio growth, such as mold, algae, and lichens, on the stone, according to the press release.
Gettysburg National Military Park staff asked visitors who suspect monument vandalism to contact park staff first before taking to social media. Visitors can do so through email via the Contact Us link on the official website, Direct Message on the park’s Facebook page, or by contacting any park employee anywhere they might be working on the battlefield or at the Museum and Visitor Center.
