Landmark Bee Weathervane Vandalized

Sometime last week, The Newtown Bee’s landmark bee weathervane was vandalized, losing both its wings and antennae and one of its six legs.

The damage was noticed on June 25, and the last anyone remembered seeing the weathervane intact was on June 21.

Newtown police are investigating the vandalism and are looking for information and evidence. Only one piece of the removed parts, an antenna, was found near the scene. It landed in a gutter on the Bee building at 5 Church Hill Road.

Patrol Officer Richard Robinson is handling the case for the police. He asks anyone with information about the incident to contact him regarding Case #9704-4696 at telephone 426-5841. The police department’s anonymous tip line, which connects to a telephone answering machine, is 270-8888.

 The Bee weathervane first took its place atop the newspaper office 30 years ago this month. The gilt copper weathervane was designed and constructed in the metalwork studio of John Hallock of Bethlehem.

Mr Hallock got a call less than a year later to repair the weathervane, which had been stolen from the cupola on The Bee in February 1975. It was found ten days later in several pieces in a local pond, where its abductors had discarded it. After it was refurbished and restored to its perch, the Bee weathervane spun in the winds undisturbed until last week.

John Hallock has been called again to repair the damaged bee once it is removed from the top of the building.

This time, Newtown Bee Published R. Scudder Smith is uncertain whether he will return the famous weathervane to the rooftop. “It may be better for us to put something up there that is not so valuable or tempting to vandals,” he said.

If the bee weathervane is not returned to the cupola, it will take a more protected place inside The Bee’s offices, according to Mr Smith.