A school playground disappeared in southeastern Ky. on July 4. District asks public why.

A school playground disappeared in Perry County on the Fourth of July, and school district officials asked the public to help figure out why.

When someone removed the playground equipment at Buckhorn Elementary School, Perry County school district officials took to social media to ask for help in solving the mystery.

“The school district has been informed that someone has removed the student’s playground from the Buckhorn school property,” a district Facebook post said Thursday. “According to the construction contractor, the playground was removed today, on July 4th. Students will be returning in a matter of weeks, and we are looking for details into how this transpired.”

“It’s important that anyone with details of this matter contact Principal Jennifer Hickerson as soon as possible,” the post said.

Not long after on Thursday, school district officials posted another message:

“Wow. Thanks for the quick response. We have some more details regarding the removal of the playground. It appears to have been sold by the City of Buckhorn (Village) through advertised bid. This was not a case of stolen property, but a question of ownership and communication.

“We are setting up meetings next week to attempt to rectify the situation.”

After a woman said in a post that she had purchased the playground from the school district for a neighborhood park, district officials responded, “the Perry County Schools made no transaction to sell the playground, and that has been cleared up with the purchaser.”

Perry County Superintendent Kent Campbell told the Herald-Leader in an email Thursday evening that “unfortunately, this is all the information I have at the time and hope to meet with the City of Buckhorn officials soon. “

Buckhorn city officials could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.

Campbell confirmed Buckhorn students haven’t used the building since it was damaged by the flood that devastated the southeastern Kentucky region in 2022.

“Buckhorn school has been stationed at the former A.B Combs Elementary building for the previous two years and they will return home once school is in session,” Campbell told the Herald-Leader

He said there was no flood damage to the playground “other than normal clean up from mud.”

“We planned on having some additional playground equipment but were going to utilize what was there too,” Campbell said.