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Winona Police said an officer spotted the graffiti Saturday. The black words "state" and "church" were separated by a thick black line through the phrases "Ten Commandments" and "I am the Lord thy God."
The graffiti was still present at noon Monday but by 3:30 p.m. the word "church" had been cleaned off.
The Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie No. 1243, otherwise known as the Eagles Club, presented the red granite monument to the city in 1958. It stands just south of the park's band shell and is 5 feet, 3 inches tall and 3 feet, 5 inches wide.
Eddie Kauphusman of the Eagles said no controversy has cropped up before.
"It's never been defaced before and nobody ever said anything about it," he said.
Mayor Jerry Miller said he is not aware of any prior controversy surrounding the monument.
"In today's world, I don't know why, this doesn't make sense," he said. "Why somebody would do that for the public controversy? It doesn't make sense."
Steve Jasnoch, city park maintenance worker, said there have been some past graffiti incidents but not like this one, which specifically targets the separation of church and state implied by the First Amendment of the Constitution.
Miller believes the commandments themselves are common sense guidelines.
"The Ten Commandments, if you read them, it's just a common courtesy to other people," he said. "Is there anything wrong with honoring your mother or your father? I certainly don't think so."
However, recent controversies over Ten Commandments displays in public venues have forced courts to decide what is right and wrong.
In La Crosse, Wis., the Freedom From Religion Foundation brought a court case against the city of La Crosse and the Eagles Club to remove a Ten Commandments monument from Cameron Park and undo the city's sale of the park land to the Eagles. The Eagles erected the monument in 1965. The city and Eagles Club have appealed the order.
In Somersworth, N.H., the Eagles gave the city a Ten Commandments monument nearly 50 years ago but its place near City Hall has caused a ruckus.
In Duluth, Minn., last year, the American Civil Liberties Union successfully sued to remove a monument at City Hall. Some church leaders bought it put it back up in private property in Canal Park.
In 2003, a court ordered a Ten Commandments monument removed from the Alabama Supreme Court building.
Reporter Jeff Dankert can be reached at (507) 453-3513, or jdankert@winonadailynews.com.
