Maryhill  

 Sundial: 241
State/Province:  Washington Country:  USA
Dial Type:  Sun Alignment Condition:  Excellent
  Latitude and Longitude: 45° 41.661' N  120° 48.367' W
Location:
  • Along I-84 (US-30) east of Portland The monument is located within the former site of the town of Maryhill; the town later burned down, leaving only the concrete replica standing. The memorial overlooks the Columbia Gorge.
 
Description:
  • The Maryhill Stonehenge was the first monument in the US to honor the dead of World War I. It is 180-feet across with pillars of reinforced concrete, duplicating, as nearly as possible the original size and design of Stonehenge. The outer circle has thirty 16-foot pillars while the inner circle has forty pillars 9-foot high. Build by a wealthy entrepreneur Sam Hill as a memorial to servicemen of Klickitat County.

    The alter stone's placement and the plan for where the standing pillars would later be located were based on Professor W. Wallace Campbell (Lick Observatory) calculations of where sunrise would be on the summer solstice.

    The monument was dedicated on 4th of July, 1918, and construction took place from then until 1929.
 
General Information:Inscription:
  • Owner: Maryhill Museum of Art
  • "In memory of the soldiers and sailors 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."
  • Designer: W. Wallace Campbell
  • Builder: Sam Hill
  • Construction Date: dedicated on 4 July 1918; completed 1929
 
References: Web Links:
  • The Maryhill Stonehenge, which also includes monuments to the soldiers of Klickitat County who died in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan is now part of the Maryhill Museum of Art.

    http://www.maryhillmuseum.org/visit/stonehenge-memorial

Last Revised: 2019-0209 13:34