I'd heard rumors of a Stonehenge replica somewhere along this old road, here in the rolling hills of southeastern Washington. The site proved elusive. Google assures me that the stone structure does, in fact, exist-- somewhere near the town of Maryhill. It turns out that the town of Maryhill isn't really too much of a town at all. We passed through a sprawling wind-farm along the aging highway, no signs, no markers. Nothing. Then, all of a sudden the sign appears: Stonehenge.
Taking the scenic route home on the tail-end of an eventful long-weekend in April, we decided to stop in and check out the replica Stonehenge. After all-- it is a bit more accessible than the real thing. Unlike the original, located in Wiltshire, England and erected thousands of years ago, the Maryhill site was dedicated in 1918, constructed as a memorial to Klickitat County residents who had died fighting in World War One.
In 1907, Samuel Hill had purchased 5,300 acres of land intent on founding a Quaker farming community. Ultimately the Quaker thing didn't pan out for Hill and he resignedly chose to raise cattle instead. After traveling through Europe as a relief worker during the Great War, Hill returned to Washington set on building a replica Stonehenge. He reasoned that the original Stonehenge had been used by the Druids as a site for human sacrifice, and that World War One had been the greatest example of human sacrifice the world had ever seen. Hence, Stonehenge as a memorial in remembrance of terrible bloodshed and sacrifice.
Through his connections in high-society, Hill involved the top archaeologists, astronomers and engineers of his day in the project. The original intention was to fashion the structure from local stone, as the ancient Druids had done, but the local rock turned out to be inadequate and concrete was used instead. The site as we see it today was completed in 1929 and rededicated that Memorial Day. A plaque was set to stone in the middle of the site naming the thirteen local servicemen who had lost their lives in the war. Hill himself passed away two years later. His cremated remains are housed in a monument overlooking the river-- just a short distance from his Stonehenge.
The last World War One veteran, Florence Green of the U.K., died on February 4th 2012 at the age of 110. Very few still live today who remember that war, and no one even alive at its bitter end is younger than 94 years old. Those fleeting remnants of the first generation of the 20th century are the last living reminders of a time when America was not constantly at war somewhere in the world. When life was simpler, and there were no storm clouds on the horizon. Today, the monument is little more than a simple tourist attraction. It is likely that few visitors know-- or even care-- about the important history behind it. The Stonehenge at Maryhill is an amazing photo-opportunity and an interesting pit-stop along a winding road. If you ever end up standing there, on top of that bluff overlooking the Columbia River, take in the amazing scenery and the novelty of Stonehenge being in Washington State. Not only that, recognize not just that it is there, but why it was built-- to remember those that died long ago, in a war few even remember. Think back-- put yourself in their shoes. They'd never even imagined a war on that scale, with death-tolls tallied in the millions, let alone two of them. Everything changed. This monument was built in remembrance of the worst war the world had ever seen. The least we can do is to recognize the times that they lived in, and tip our collective cap to those boys that went off to war so long ago-- and never came back home.
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