Friday – August 5, 2016
Stonehenge
Maryhill, Washington
Pictures To Be Added Soon
We completed a wonderful visit today to the American version of Stonehenge.
The Maryhill, Washington Stonehenge is a replica of Stonehenge in England. It was commissioned in the early twentieth century by businessman Samuel Hill and dedicated on July 4, 1918 as a memorial to those who had died in World War I. The memorial was completed in 1929. It is constructed of concrete.
The Maryhill Stonehenge was the first monument in the United States to honor the dead of World War I (specifically, soldiers from Klickitat County, Washington who had died in the then still on-going war). The altar stone is placed to be aligned with sunrise on the Summer Solstice. Hill, a Quaker, informed that the original Stonehenge had been used as a sacrificial site, therefore constructed the replica as a reminder that humanity is still being sacrificed to the god of war. The monument was originally located in the center of Maryhill, which later burned down leaving only the Stonehenge replica. A second formal dedication of the monument took place upon its completion on May 30, 1929. Sam Hill, who died in 1931, lived long enough to see his Stonehenge completed.
The dedication plaque on this Washington Stonehenge is inscribed:
"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."
The Maryhill Stonehenge is located off U.S. Highway 97, about two miles from where it enters the state of Washington by crossing the Columbia River from Oregon. Admission is free to visit the memorial; but donations for its continued maintenance are appreciated.
Tomorrow another adventure begins.
No comments:
Post a Comment