KEENE — A North Country icon is no more, after the state Department of Environmental Conservation on Tuesday took down the famous “Red Barn” at the intersection of state Routes 73 and 9N.

The barn was a landmark and favorite spot for photographers and sight-seers, but the DEC said in a release Tuesday that it was finally leveled because DEC inspections found the barn to be “structurally unsound and beyond repair.” DEC also said they discovered evidence of people entering the barn to take photos, remove beams and siding and to use it as a bathroom and for other activities.

The barn, a non-conforming structure under the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan, stood on state Forest Preserve lands with a Wild Forest classification, DEC wrote on Facebook. As such, the state agency said the barn cannot be rebuilt.

In a response to questions on Facebook, the DEC wrote that any salvageable wood from the barn would be taken to one of the DEC’s maintenance centers to be used in projects on Forest Preserve lands. The DEC added that the lumber that comprised the barn is property of the state and cannot be sold or given away to private entities or persons.

“The increased risk of building collapse due to its deterioration, weight of winter snows, and the continued use by people, caused DEC to determine the building must come down to ensure public safety.” the state agency wrote on its Facebook page.