Six months after it was installed, the Hirschman’s Pond historical plaque has been vandalized. Bernie Zimmerman, with the Historical Landmarks Commission, says he was saddened to hear about the defacement…

click to listen to Bernie Zimmerman

Zimmerman says unless and until the perpetrator is caught, it won’t likely be known what motivated the vandalism. But he did say the commission is not aware of any other defacing of the almost 200 historical plaques in the county. And he also mentions that it’s the only plaque that has any reference to the Jewish community…

click to listen to Bernie Zimmerman

The plaque commemorates the Jewish community that helped the county thrive during the Gold Rush era. Also, Leb Hirschman, the miner who owned Hirschman’s Diggins. The pond is what remains of the mine. Zimmerman says county personnel have removed the plaque and expect to clean it up and restore it, or replace it, in the near future. Hirschman’s Pond was registered as a historical landmark by the Board of Supervisors a year ago.