UPDATED MONDAY 4:54PM
An ornamental metal gate and the surrounding portions of a decorative cement wall were found in shambles Sunday on the property of the Art & History Museums Maitland at 231 W Packwood Avenue (MAP) in Maitland.
No other damage to the property occurred.
In a statement released to the media today at 4:38pm, the museum said the damage was the result of a vehicular incident which took place in the early morning hours on Sunday. They went on to say they are working closely with the City of Maitland to restore the gate and surrounding walls.
The Daily City reached out to the Maitland Police Sunday and will update this post when a response is received.
The full statement from the museum is below:
“The historic Main Garden gate and archway at Art & History Museums - Maitland (A&H) was damaged in a vehicular incident in the early morning hours of Sunday, June 14.
The gate, which faced the intersection of Packwood and Central Avenues, was one of the focal points of the Maitland Art Center. The Center, historically known as the Research Studio, is an outstanding example of Mayan Revival Art Deco architecture, completed under the guidance of architect and artist Jules André Smith in the 1930s, with the funding of his patron Mary Curtis Bok. In 2014, the National Park Service recognized this unique artists' retreat as a National Historic Landmark, the only one in Orange County and the surrounding four counties.
The artwork around campus was created on site by André and the resident artists, using the buildings and the landscape as their canvas. The metal gate, which was originally the main entrance to the Center, was designed by André and fabricated in Italy. The cement relief carvings that surrounded the gate are believed to be some of André’s earliest work in this medium, one for which he would become well known. André continually added to the site over the years, adding more sculptures, murals and reliefs until his death here in 1959.
A&H is working closely with the City of Maitland to restore the gate and surrounding walls. A&H would like to thank the Maitland Police Department and the City of Maitland for their support.”
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