Washington State Is Home to Another Stonehenge
Maryhill Monolith Serves as Memorial to Local Soldiers Killed in War
Dec 27, 2008
This Stonehenge is the creation, not of Druids, but of Sam Hill, a dreamer and entrepreneur who founded the Maryhill community along the shores of the Columbia in the early 1900s.
Memorial Honors Local Fallen Soldiers
Back then it was generally believed the English Stonehenge was built for human sacrifice. Hill believed that war was mankind’s greatest sacrifice. Thus he built his own Stonehenge to honor Klickitat County soldiers who died in World War I. Plaques bearing the names of the 13 soldiers killed in this war are attached to the inner circle of pillars.
Located in Klickitat County in southcentral Washington, Stonehenge was dedicated in 1918, but not completed until 1930. Hill died shortly after that and is buried on a hillside about 50 feet below his Stonehenge. A few hundred yards to the north is a newer memorial, this one bearing the names of local soldiers killed in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.
The dedication plaque at this Stonehenge reads:
In memory of the soldiers of Klickitat County who gave their lives in defense of their country. This monument is erected in the hope that others inspired by the example of their valor and their heroism may share in that love of liberty and burn with that fire of patriotism which death can alone quench.
While made of concrete, instead of stone, Washington’s Stonehenge is sufficiently similar to the real thing that British researchers from the University of Huddersfield descended upon Maryhill in July 2008 to conduct sound tests, in an effort to determine how sounds worked in that ancient English formation.
Views of Mighty Columbia Are Stunning
The English Stonehenge sits on a plain. Washington’s Stonehenge, on the other hand, sits on a high bluff which offers commanding views of the Columbia River Gorge for miles and miles. The small community of Maryhill is located below the bluff. This community is made up mainly of orchards which operate fruit stands in the summer.
Washington’s Stonehenge is located on Highway 14, about a mile east of the junction with Highway 97. It is visible from both roads, but the entrance is on Highway 14. Stonehenge is open year-round; there is no admission charge, except for special activities sponsored by Maryhill Museum of Art. The museum schedules plays, poetry readings and other activities during its open season, which runs from March 15 to November 15.
This Stonehenge Is Part of Maryhill Museum Complex
The American Stonehenge is part of the Maryhill Museum of Art complex. The Maryhill Museum is located three miles to the west on Highway 14. Highway 14 runs parallel to Interstate 84 in Oregon. Freeway travelers should exit at Biggs Junction, then cross the Sam Hill Bridge on Highway 97 to connect with Highway 14. Maryhill is located about 12 miles south of Goldendale, Washington, the nearest town of any size.
Additional information on Stonehenge and the Maryhill complex is available on the Maryhill website.
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