‘Pokemon Go’ Players Blamed for Damage at Historic Fort

The U.S. flag flies over the munitions magazine portion of Fort Phoenix, in Fairhaven, Mass. The fort was originally built between 1775-78, and was established to protect the harbor of what was then the town of Dartmouth, that is now Fairhaven. The magazine was constructed following the Revolutionary War. (AP Photo/Robert E. Klein)

FAIRHAVEN, Mass. (AP) — A fort destroyed in the Revolutionary War is again fending off attacks — this time from “Pokemon Go” players.

Caretakers of Fort Phoenix in Massachusetts say players of the popular smartphone game are damaging the historic site.

Gary Lavalette, volunteer caretaker at the fort in Fairhaven, near the Rhode Island state line, says people have been leaving trash, vandalizing historic structures and publicly urinating. He told WLNE-TV that a stone wall was taken apart with a crowbar and parts of the property look like a “minefield” because people are digging up the ground.

The Fairhaven Historical Commission says hundreds of “Pokemon Go” players have been flocking to the fort, often at night, because it’s where a rare Pokemon can be found.

The fort was destroyed by the British in 1778 but later rebuilt.