ELBERTON, Ga. — Part of a mysterious Georgia monument was destroyed by an explosive device overnight, leading to an active police investigation in Elberton, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

NewsChopper 2 was over the Georgia Guidestones, where one of the 19-foot-tall granite monument’s four pillars was reduced to rubble.

Several Channel 2 Action News viewers reported hearing sounds of an explosion around 4 a.m.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said agents found evidence of an explosion at the scene.

“The preliminary information indicates that unknown individuals detonated an explosive device at around 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 6th. Elbert County Sheriff’s Office personnel responded to discover the explosion destroyed a large portion of the structure.”

GDOT has closed down roads in the area as local and state police investigate.

The granite monument, which is sometimes referred to as an “American Stonehenge,” was erected in 1980 in Elbert County and functions like a compass, calendar and clock.

The rock slabs that make up the monument are inscribed in eight modern languages and are astronomically aligned.

The center pillar is carved in such a way that allows a ray of sun to filter through at noon every day and shine a beam on the center stone that indicates the day of the year.

The messages inscribed on the stones seem to advocate for population control, harmony with nature and internationalism, which has made them the object of conspiracy theories.

The monument has been the source of speculation and conspiracy theories for 40 years. The people who funded the statue have never been publicly identified.

It’s unclear if investigators have identified any possible suspects in the explosion or what possible charges they would face.

Though the monument was privately funded, it sits on state-owned land.

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