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Extra vigilance by Alton residents is being sought for the Lucy Haskell Playhouse following recent vandalism.

The Lucy Haskell Playhouse is open to the public 10 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of each month. The playhouse board is asking for increased community vigilance after vandalism has been reported at the landmark.

ALTON — Additional vigilance is sought for the Lucy Haskell Playhouse.

Vandals have repeatedly pulled up custom exterior lighting around the Victorian-style structure, according to Margaret Hopkins who co-chairs the Lucy Haskell Playhouse Association with Chris Alford. 

"The last incident was a couple weeks ago," she said. "When I was leaving my house to walk my dog, I could see a light was shining in my eyes. The concrete and all was pulled up."

Kyle Batson of Blue River Lighting in Wood River installed the security lighting at the playhouse. He also repaired the lighting after the last incident, as well as all previous incidents, one that involved an installation being struck by an object that dislodged the bulb from its fixture. 

"Now the board is facing looking at a camera system and/or wrought iron fencing to surround the playhouse," Hopkins said. "We don’t want to keep people out. So if people see something not right, if they call the police, or help us in some way to pay for these extra measures of security, we would be appreciative of anyone being another set of eyes for us.

"I don’t want to say the vandals are trying to steal the installations," she said. "But they pull them from the ground and pull wiring out of the ground. It's happened several times. After two times we called Kyle, who said he could encase in concrete, and I'll be darned, someone came and pulled the whole light and concrete out of the ground."

Hopkins said the nine-person board soon will plant flowers and, during the summer, people will be at the site watering the plants. But she said the board cannot be at the playhouse all times.

Hopkins said people can donate to a city fund to aid security. For details visit www.haskellplayhouse.org and select "Donate." Checks also are accepted.

"We use those funds strictly for the maintenance and restoration of that playhouse," she said. "We have a committee that oversees that and meets and reviews invoices. It's an open meeting the public can come. Those expenses are paid directly from that trust fund and are tax deductible."

In 2014, the playhouse association had a Crowdfunding event organized by Alton native Ryan Hanlon of Route 3 Films in St. Louis that raised $50,000 in 50 days to aid the structure. The group had lead paint removed and the playhouse was caulked, primed, painted and tuckpointed. Some carpentry work also was done.

In 2016, the board spent $10,000 on the playhouse for a new slate roof and redoing all of its copper work. A couple of years ago the board had the inside of the playhouse painted, a security alarm was installed and they contracted for illumination through Batson's Blue River Lighting.

"He was so excited. He had never lit such a structure as the Lucy Haskell Playhouse," Hopkins said. "We wanted something to light up the playhouse in the still of the night, to be a thing of beauty. It's gorgeous in the daylight, but breathtaking at night lit up with landscape lighting."

The playhouse is open 10 a.m.-noon the second Saturday of each month. The annual Lucy Haskell Birthday Party is planned for July 29 this year. This year the playhouse also will host its 25th Christmas event.