Lititz garden pond restored after vandals kill fish, damage pump

HISTORICAL FOUNDATION BUILDING. BAILEY, HOW’S IT LOOKING THERE TODAY? BRIAN. LORI. IT ACTUALLY LOOKS REALLY GREAT HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT THEY’VE BEEN DOING OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS TO RESTORE THE POND AFTER EASTER WEEKEND WHEN SOMEONE CAME HERE AND VANDALIZED IT, THE WORKERS WHO MAINTAIN THIS POND FOUND ALL OF THE ROCKS THAT YOU SEE HERE PUT IN PLACE, DUMPED INTO THE POND, AND THEY STILL DON’T KNOW WHO’S RESPONSIBLE. IT’S A PLACE OF REFLECTION, CALMNESS AND PEACE. PEACE THAT WAS DISTURBED OVER THE WEEKEND WHEN THE GARDEN POND AT THE LITITZ HISTORICAL FOUNDATION WAS VANDALIZED. A LOT OF THE STONES AROUND THE POND WERE THROWN INTO THE POND. FISH WAS KILLED. WE HAD TO TRY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM OURSELVES. BUT THEN THEY CAME BACK AND THREW EVERYTHING BACK INTO THE POND AGAIN. AROUND A DOZEN GOLDFISH, A KOI FISH AND A FROG LIVE IN THIS POND THAT HAS BEEN A FIXTURE FOR 65 YEARS, AND IT’S KIND OF A FEATURE OF THE COMMUNITY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE. THEY COME AND THEY SIT HERE AND THEY, THEY LINGER AND THEY ENJOY THE GARDEN. THEY SAY, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED HERE. MATT SAMS IS A GARDENER WHO MAINTAINS THE GROUNDS REGULARLY. WE CLEANED IT ALL OUT. LUCKILY, THERE WERE NO CRACKS. BUT IT YOU KNOW, IT’S PRETTY INTENSE. YOU GOT TO DRAIN ALL THE WATER OUT. WE GOT TO GET THE FISH OUT. THEY DID SOME DAMAGE TO THE PUMP. IT’S STILL FUNCTIONS, BUT IT’S DAMAGED. IT’S SPURTING A LITTLE BIT. RIGHT NOW THE PRESIDENT OF THE LATEST HISTORICAL FOUNDATION SAYS BETWEEN REPAIRS, MAINTENANCE AND PREVENTION, IT’S GOING TO COST THEM AT LEAST $1,000. NOW IT’S ABOUT MAKING SURE A DISTURBANCE LIKE THIS DOESN’T HAPPEN AGAIN. THEY’RE LOOKING TO THE COMMUNITY FOR SUPPORT, ASKING FOR DONATIONS. I DON’T THINK THE IDEA OF CAMERAS IS SOMETHING WE’D LIKE TO DO, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT’S PROBABLY SOMETHING WE’LL NEED TO DO. THEY SAID THEY PLAN ON INSTALLING THOSE CAMERAS WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. THEY’VE ALSO TAKEN THE ROCKS AND CEMENTED THEM IN PLACE SO THAT NO ONE CAN ACTUALLY PICK THEM UP ANYMORE. NOW, POLICE ARE AWARE OF THIS SITUATION, BUT THEY’RE NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH ANY KIND OF INVESTIGATION. THE PEOPLE HERE AT THE HISTORICAL FOUNDATION TELL ME THAT THEY JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS

The Lititz Historical Foundation’s garden pond was vandalized during Easter weekend, causing damage to the site and killing a fish, with repairs estimated to cost $1,000

Updated: 6:39 PM EDT Apr 7, 2026

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The Lititz Historical Foundation’s garden pond, a peaceful community fixture for 65 years, was vandalized over Easter weekend, leaving volunteers and gardeners working to repair the damage. David Alexander, a volunteer at the foundation, described the incident: “A lot of the stones around the pond were thrown into the pond. A fish was killed and we had to try to correct the problem ourselves, but then they came back and threw everything back into the pond again.” The pond is home to around a dozen goldfish, a koi fish, and a frog, and serves as a tranquil spot for visitors. “It’s kind of a feature of the community that a lot of people like. They come in, they sit here and they linger, and they enjoy the garden,” Alexander said. Matt Samms, a gardener who regularly maintains the grounds, said the damage was significant. “We cleaned it all out. Luckily, there were no cracks. But, you know, it’s pretty intense. You got to drain all the water out. We had to get the fish out,” he said. He added that the pond’s pump was damaged but still functional. “It’s spurting a little bit right now,” Samms said. The president of the Lititz Historical Foundation estimates the cost of repairs, maintenance, and prevention measures will be at least $1,000. Volunteers are now looking to the community for support, asking for donations to help restore the site and prevent future incidents. “A lot of the people in the community are very proud of what we have here, and we would like to continue it. I don’t think the idea of cameras is something we’d like to do, but unfortunately, it’s probably something we’ll need to do,” Alexander said. Samms noted additional steps are being taken to secure the area. “Now we’re just trying to secure the rocks a little bit better to make sure that next time … they don’t throw them in,” he said. Most of the cleanup was completed on Monday, and the pond is now back to normal, with the fish returned to their home. “It’s open for everybody. So, you know, unfortunately, everybody includes some undesirables sometimes,” Samms said. Alexander expressed his disappointment: “It’s not the kind of thing that you would expect to happen in Lititz. And, it’s unfortunate that it does.” Lititz police are aware of the vandalism but are not directly involved in the investigation. Volunteers are committed to ensuring the site remains peaceful for years to come.

LITITZ, Pa. —

The Lititz Historical Foundation’s garden pond, a peaceful community fixture for 65 years, was vandalized over Easter weekend, leaving volunteers and gardeners working to repair the damage.

David Alexander, a volunteer at the foundation, described the incident: “A lot of the stones around the pond were thrown into the pond. A fish was killed and we had to try to correct the problem ourselves, but then they came back and threw everything back into the pond again.”

The pond is home to around a dozen goldfish, a koi fish, and a frog, and serves as a tranquil spot for visitors. “It’s kind of a feature of the community that a lot of people like. They come in, they sit here and they linger, and they enjoy the garden,” Alexander said.

Matt Samms, a gardener who regularly maintains the grounds, said the damage was significant. “We cleaned it all out. Luckily, there were no cracks. But, you know, it’s pretty intense. You got to drain all the water out. We had to get the fish out,” he said.

He added that the pond’s pump was damaged but still functional. “It’s spurting a little bit right now,” Samms said.

The president of the Lititz Historical Foundation estimates the cost of repairs, maintenance, and prevention measures will be at least $1,000. Volunteers are now looking to the community for support, asking for donations to help restore the site and prevent future incidents.

“A lot of the people in the community are very proud of what we have here, and we would like to continue it. I don’t think the idea of cameras is something we’d like to do, but unfortunately, it’s probably something we’ll need to do,” Alexander said.

Samms noted additional steps are being taken to secure the area. “Now we’re just trying to secure the rocks a little bit better to make sure that next time … they don’t throw them in,” he said.

Most of the cleanup was completed on Monday, and the pond is now back to normal, with the fish returned to their home.

“It’s open for everybody. So, you know, unfortunately, everybody includes some undesirables sometimes,” Samms said.

Alexander expressed his disappointment: “It’s not the kind of thing that you would expect to happen in Lititz. And, it’s unfortunate that it does.”

Lititz police are aware of the vandalism but are not directly involved in the investigation. Volunteers are committed to ensuring the site remains peaceful for years to come.