Georgia Guidestones: Mystery surrounding explosion remains a year later

Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of the shocking bombing of the Georgia Guidestones in Elberton County. 

The person responsible for the strange and assumedly random act of destruction has still not been identified or captured by police.

Early on the morning of July 6, 2022, security footage captured an individual quickly approaching the controversial landmark with an object and sprinting away to a silver sedan. A few moments later, additional cameras picked up the explosion, which confirmed that the object placed by the individual was indeed a bomb. Later that day, the remaining pieces were demolished and hauled away due to safety concerns. 

Prior to being removed entirely, the stone structure had already been vandalized several times throughout its 42 years of existence. The strange messages left behind had a history of grabbing the public’s attention, and also sparked a multitude of online conspiracy theories. 

What were the Georgia Guidestones?

The six controversial slabs that made up the monument repeated "10 guidelines" in eight different languages that served as messages to humanity in case of a post-apocalyptic occurrence. Some of the guidelines read to "maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature" and to "unite humanity with a living new language."

The guidestones faced multiple controversies. The most recent being when then Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidate Kandiss Taylor called the stones "satanic." 

Others believed the stones may have referred to the antichrist, but no evidence backs such claims.

What did the Georgia Guidestones say?

The English portion of the inscription read:

"Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.

Guide reproduction wisely — improving fitness and diversity.

Unite humanity with a living new language.

Rule passion — faith — tradition — and all things with tempered reason.

Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts.

Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court.

Avoid petty laws and useless officials.

Balance personal rights with social duties.

Prize truth — beauty — love — seeking harmony with the infinite.

Be not a cancer on the Earth — Leave room for nature — Leave room for nature."

The pen name of the man credited with creating the Georgia Guidestones is Robert C. Christian. He paid the Elberton Granite Finishing Company to build the stones for some "loyal Americans," but he insisted on remaining anonymous. 

All these years later and journalists have yet to uncover Christian’s true identity, the group of Americans he was referring to, or what his purpose was behind the stones.

The one man with any known ties to Christian was Wyatt Martin, an Elberton Banker who died in 2021. 

There was also speculation that a time capsule was at least six feet under the stones when it first opened in 1980. But, only dirt was found underground after a demolition was completed by the Elbert County Road Department, confirming that there was no time capsule after all.