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If you’ve always meant to get to the St. Croix River to view its natural splendors-- among them, the Devil’s Chair, Old Man of the Dalles or the rock cross for which the river got its name-- you are too late. Devil’s Chair has fallen.

About 3 p.m., Saturday, April 9, two calls came into the sheriff’s department, reporting suspected vandalism to the rock formation on the Minnesota side of the river, just south of Taylors Falls.

“At this point we are not sure what happened to cause the fall,” said Interstate Park manager Larry Bucholz.

It is guessed that Devil’s Chair was probably formed during the glacial melt 10,000 to 12,000 years ago and the rocks weighed about 60 tons. “The three pieces of rock that comprised the chair were massive,” Bucholz noted.

The Department of Natural Resources and sheriff’s investigators were working with engineering experts this week to try to determine if there was vandalism and see how stable the remaining column of rock is. For now the area is closed to the public for safety reasons.

“The Devil’s Chair was one of the easiest formations to see and recognize from the river and trails in the park,” Bucholz added. “This historic landmark will be missed.”

Anyone who has information about activity around the chair site over late last week or last weekend (April 7,8,9) is urged to contact the sheriff’s department at 257-4100 and ask to speak with investigation or contact the park office 1-651-465-5711.

Pictured; Devil’s Chair, the cross in the riverway cliff and the face of the Old Man of the Dalles. Art is from a vintage folding postcard featuring scenes of the riverway from 60 years ago.

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