MONTROSE, S.D. — After vandalism ruined some pieces at the start of last season, a local artist has restored and continued to create, ready to entertain tourists once again this season.
Porter Sculpture Park, a roadside attraction along I-90 in Montrose, fell victim to vandalism last year. The incident occurred during the off-season, sometime before the park's scheduled opening day on May 10, 2023. The vandalism caused significant damage, undoing years of work by the park's creators, Wayne Porter.
“It was heartbreaking to see my life’s work so senselessly destroyed,” Porter said. The iconic "Bull and Guardians" sculpture, clearly visible from the interstate, suffered the most severe damage in the incident. The four human-sized skeleton guardian figures that flanked the bull sculpture were decapitated, with their heads removed.
Additionally, the base of the bull sculpture itself was defaced with spray paint messages proclaiming religious sentiments. “This was more than just a random act,” Porter said. “The guardian heads were completely gone and the graffiti on the bull was disturbing.
” ADVERTISEMENT Other vandalized pieces included an Irish Monks sculpture and a piece depicting Porter’s brother. This was not the first instance of vandalism at the sculpture park, but previous incidents were limited to minor spray-painting issues. The extensive damage inflicted last year posed a far greater challenge.
“I can repaint. But this - this is different,” Porter s.
