ALTON - Alton authorities are investigating the defacement of the "Welcome to Alton" sign on the city’s northern entrance, where graffiti containing a derogatory message targeting a resident was painted sometime between Friday night and early Saturday morning, July 19, 2025.
Cory Davenport is with the Sunken Press in Alton. His name was painted with the derogatory message sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning.
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Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said officers are actively following up on leads to identify the person or persons responsible. Davenport also expressed appreciation for community members who covered the sign until it could be removed.
Davenport acknowledged the incident in a statement, thanking Paula Jamison and others who helped cover and replace the sign. He speculated that the act may have required a truck to reach the sign.
“I have angered enough people through well-researched and honest opinions and community-organized efforts that things like this don’t surprise me,” Davenport said. “While I can promise everyone I am not [what was placed on the sign], I would much rather draw attention to the fact that someone used a beautiful gateway to our community to spread such a hateful and untrue message.
“That’s not how I’d like to see Alton represented. This will not dissuade me from bringing truth and accountability to the actual folks harming our community. I applaud the city’s rapid efforts to remove the graffiti and genuinely hope those responsible are charged with the cleaning, because I hate that our tax dollars were used to undo such a heinous allegation.”
Officials are asking anyone with information or dashcam footage related to the vandalism to contact Alton Police at 618-463-3505.
