Squirrels Eat Historic Home

WLOX ^ | Jun 25, 2012

[nickcarraway]

A sign outside the historic Lamar House in Oxford tells visitors where to enter, but a bunch squirrels are finding their own way in.

"I think if you look at the damage, it wasn't just one squirrel. It was several out here kind of going to town," said Mary-Kathryn Herrington with the Oxford Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

Normally, the critters snack on seeds, nuts, and bark. For several years, Herrington says they've been chomping away at the wood of the historic house trying to get inside. Now the animals are ripping through the screening in the attic.

"I think we are having to try to be a little more aggressive since this is a building that has been restored and has so much historical significance," Herrington said.

L.Q.C. Lamar served the country as Secretary of the Interior, a senator, and on the Supreme Court. He built the home in Oxford during the late 1800s, and it was almost demolished until the local heritage foundation saved it in 2008.

"[It is] filled with wonderful exhibits that detail his life and the Civil War and the American south and are really a treasure for Oxford and for visitors to come take advantage of," Herrington said.

Herrington said money is in the budget for repairs, and they plan to work with contractors to install tougher wire to keep the critters out of the attic and hopefully in an old tree that stands right next to the building.

The Lamar House is on the National Register of Historical Places.

[humblegunner]

I read almost the same exact story about Godzilla eating Lapland.

It was on a blog.

[1raider1]

Would it be too much for you to tell us if this place is even in the US?

[cripplecreek]

[Snickering Hound]

[Blado]

It was here, in the USA, and some of my ex-wives were involved.

[JRandomFreeper]

I have recipes for squirrel.

/johnny

[nickcarraway]

Your ex-wives were the squirrels or the house?

[nickcarraway]

I thought references to, “American South,” “Civil War,” “Supreme Court,” “Secretary of the Interior,” and a station having call letters like WXXX would indicate that. I guess it’s in Mississippi.

[Mister Da]

Flying squirrels are known to build nests in attics.

[Dr. Sivana]

This strip is 20 years old, so Dilbert's time frame is wrong.

[Tupelo]

Well, it is a local story about a local house.
It is located in Oxford Mississippi.
Most folks don't know much about Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, but damn near every town I have ever spent any time in has a Lamar Street or a Lamar Ave. or a Lamar Blvd.
Pretty interesting fellow.

[freeandfreezing]

The only solution is either a trapper or a sharpshooter. Once a squirrel gets the idea of getting into a house in his or her head nothing will stop them.

[null and void]

You really should have pinged Darks to that one...

[MuttTheHoople]

He was the only Mississippian to ever serve on the Supreme Court.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucius_Quintus_Cincinatus_Lamar_II

[Darksheare]

I’ve never tried giving my coffee to a squirrel.
I’m certain they’d drink it, they’ll drink soda.
But I have not had the opportunity to do the coffee thing yet.

It must be done, for science.

[Lakeshark]

It must be done, for science.

Only Darks could make a squirrel eat a house......while it made typos......for science.......

[cripplecreek]

It must be done, for science.

Jolt cola and a sturdy containment vessel.

[Darksheare]

Jolt cola, a sturdy containment vessel = free power from squirrels.

[x]

L.Q.C. Lamar was featured in Profiles in Courage. Whoever actually wrote the book, it was intended to boost John Kennedy's political career, so Kennedy made sure to spread out his characters geographically.