OUR GORGE I CREATE
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A Monument for All Time The Stonehenge Memorial is now part of the National Register of Historic Places story by JANET COOK | photos provided
T
he Stonehenge Memorial in the eastern Gorge is a curious sight to behold. It rises starkly from a plateau above the Columbia River in Washington, with nothing around it but dry grass and shrubs. From just the right angle, a weird juxtaposition of windmills appears in the background turning slowly in the incessant breeze. It’s the stuff of double-takes from passers-by on Highway 97 seeing it for the first time. Or even the fifth. But there’s a story behind it, and a fascinating one at that — enough so that the Stonehenge Memorial was recently added to the National Register of Historic Places, deeming it officially worthy of preservation for its historical significance.
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SAMUEL HILL
Samuel Hill would surely approve. The memorial was his brainchild; he had it built within view of his mansion a few miles to the west, now the Maryhill Museum of Art. “We are thrilled that Stonehenge Memorial has been added to the National Register,” said Maryhill Museum of Art’s executive director Colleen Schafroth. “The designation recognizes Sam Hill’s singular vision and the enduring significance of the memorial as it relates to local, regional and national history. The museum itself was placed on the National Register in 1974. We are beyond excited to now have Stonehenge Memorial listed as well.” The origin story of Stonehenge Memorial is rooted in Sam Hill’s Quakerism. A
Samuel Hill built the Stonehenge Memorial to honor young men from Klickitat County killed in World War I.
SPRING 2022 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE
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