With each new rainfall, every rock thrown, each brick that falls from the building, and every new act of vandalism the Brigham Young Academy buildings inch further toward the point of no return.

The structure that once schooled some of the brightest minds in Utah now resembles the ruins of an unwanted medieval castle. The Education Building, which was said to be designed by Brigham Young himself, now sits defenseless, tired and weary, awaiting its final knockout punch after more than 100 years.Huge chunks of plaster and glass litter the floor where students roamed the halls not so long ago. The musty smell of asbestos permeates the air, while buckled floor boards, some rising 5 to 6 inches above the rest, create a hazard for anyone walking through the dark hallways. Beams in the ceilingssag noticeably.

Broken skylights provide sanctuary for several birds inside the building. Rain water has leaked in for more than 20 years, warping floor boards and beams beyond repair.

One wall of the Education Building's east side is so deteriorated that the Wasatch Mountains can be seen through gaps in the brick.

Vandals have not been kind to the 100-year-old structure.

Sinks and water fountains have been torn away from the walls. Dried eggs litter the hand-painted murals in what was Karl G. Maeser's office, and someone has kicked holes in most of the walls. Spray-painted slogans cover most of what is left. Broken windows outnumber the un-broken ones and are covered by unsightly boards.

It's an undignified fate for a building that was once referred to as a palace.

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