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Maryhill Stonehenge

Maryhill Stonehenge, also known as the Stonehenge Memorial, is a concrete replica of the British Stonehenge in Maryhill on the north bank of the Columbia River in Washington State. It was commissioned and financed by businessman Samuel Hill as a memorial to soldiers from Klickitat County who were killed in World War I. The monument was dedicated on Independence Day, July 4, 1918, before the war had ended. Hill, a Quaker, believed Stonehenge had been used for human sacrifice and intended the memorial to honor those he saw as sacrificed to the “god of war.” After Maryhill was destroyed by fire, the monument was rededicated in 1929. Today it forms part of the Maryhill Museum of Art.

Maryhill Stonehenge with rough gray stone pillars and lintels framing a view of dry rolling hills under a blue sky.
Maryhill Stonehenge’s stone pillars and lintels frame the surrounding landscape in Washington.
© · Public domain
Maryhill Stonehenge replica with a circular arrangement of large grey stone pillars and openings, with distant hills and water visible through the structure.
The Maryhill Stonehenge replica frames a distant landscape through its ring of massive stone forms.
October 2007 © · CC BY 3.0
Maryhill Stonehenge, with rough concrete pillars and lintels arranged in a partial circle overlooking rolling hills and water.
Maryhill Stonehenge stands on a hillside with a partial circle of concrete pillars framed by the distant landscape.
May 2016 © · CC BY 2.0
Maryhill Stonehenge framed by rough stone columns, with a leafy tree in the center.
Rough stone columns at Maryhill Stonehenge frame a large leafy tree.
June 2015 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Rustic building at the entrance to Maryhill Stonehenge with wind turbines on the hills behind it.
A rustic building stands at the entrance to Maryhill Stonehenge, with wind turbines visible across the hills beyond.
September 2014 © · CC BY-SA 3.0

Identification

TitleMaryhill Stonehenge
Alternative nameStonehenge Memorial
TypeConcrete replica of Stonehenge; memorial monument

Historical context

CommissionedEarly 20th century
DedicatedJuly 4, 1918
Rededicated1929
Construction started1918
CompletedMay 30, 1929
Listed on National Register of Historic Places2021
Historical significanceThe first monument in the United States to honor the dead of World War I

Creator

CommissionerSam Hill
Commissioned bySam Hill
Commissioner descriptionWealthy entrepreneur and Quaker
Commissioner beliefBelieved the original Stonehenge had been used as a sacrificial site

Discovery and provenance

Design basisBased on the then-prevailing interpretation of Stonehenge as a sacrificial site
Intended meaningA reminder that humanity is still sacrificed to the god of war
Commemorated groupSoldiers from Klickitat County, Washington, who died in World War I
PurposeTo honor the dead of World War I, especially soldiers from Klickitat County, Washington

Physical characteristics

Included featureAltar stone aligned with sunrise on the summer solstice

Materials

MaterialConcrete

Location and ownership

Original locationMiddle of Maryhill, on the former site of the town of Maryhill, overlooking the Columbia River Gorge, Washington, United States
Current locationMaryhill Museum of Art, Maryhill, Washington, United States
Location descriptionOff U.S. Highway 97, about two miles from the Washington-Oregon border crossing over the Columbia River
Part ofMaryhill Museum of Art
AccessFree admission; donations appreciated for continued maintenance
Associated memorialsWorld War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and Afghanistan memorials for Klickitat County soldiers

History and restoration

Original settingOriginally stood in the middle of Maryhill
Later historyThe original town of Maryhill was destroyed by a major fire, leaving the concrete replica standing
ReinstallationThe Stonehenge replica was re-installed
Dedication historyA second formal dedication took place on completion
Death of commissionerSam Hill died in 1931 after living long enough to see the replica completed

Appearance

InscriptionDedication plaque is inscribed, but the text is not provided