The purported theft of seven state historical markers from their sites in Butler County didn't have the drama, twists and turns of an Ellery Queen mystery novel. And, the story that helped make up the Butler Eagle's front page of Sept. 3 didn't qualify for a television saga reminiscent of the "thrilling days of yesteryear" associated with TV Western hero The Lone Ranger.

But the missing historical markers had more than a couple of people perplexed, wondering what motivated someone from the local area or beyond to abscond with these pathways to the county's historical past. For awhile, to some people, solving the mystery seemed like a task for a police detective with the investigatory skills of Columbo.

Fortunately, in the end, there really wasn't a mystery with which to be dealt. The fact that a mystery - actually, "confusion" is a better word to describe the situation - existed at all stemmed from the fact that the local "investigation" merely didn't extend far enough. Those who first noticed the "missing" historical markers didn't make enough use of one of the most basic of tools - the telephone.

If they had immediately picked up the telephone and called the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, they would have learned that the markers had been removed by the Mercer County Association for Retarded Citizens. MCARC is under contract with Pennsylvania Industries for the Blind and the historical and museum group to clean and repair markers and repaint them and their poles, if necessary.

The markers in question were merely undergoing some routine maintenance targeted at preserving them for years and generations to come.

Fortunately for those local history buffs who enjoy the signs, not only here but at other locations across the state, there are people like Joyce Bessor, executive director of the Zelienople Historical Society, who are not deterred from solving a mystery. It was Bessor who began making telephone calls that eventually led her to the markers' "hideout" in Hermitage, where the marker fix-ups were taking place.

For Bessor, her investigation was geared toward finding the whereabouts of a marker about the history of Zelienople. The investigation also ended up easing the minds of members of the Cranberry Historical Society, who were fretting about the loss of the Venango Trail marker, and shed light on the fact that other markers had been removed for the same purpose.

There are 14 Historical and Museum Commission markers in Butler County; in all, there are more than 2,000 across the commonwealth.

The marker program began in 1946.

Just like former President Bill Clinton's heart-bypass surgery will increase awareness about details of that procedure, a benefit can be acknowledged from the publicity that has followed the saga of the missing historical markers. People have learned about the origin of the program and also have learned that they can access information about it on the Web sites www.phmc.state.pa.us and www.ExplorePAhistory.com.

Now that the fate of the historical markers is known, is anyone in distress over a missing stagecoach with a strongbox of money and other valuables? In 2004, that would make a great story.

- J.R.K.