What in Sam Hill Is That?

I didn't have a blog yesterday because the RV Park we stayed in had no Internet connection so today I'll include yesterday and part of today.

The RV park was a Washington State Park right on the Columbia River nestled between the river and a Cherry Orchard.


There were windsurfers on the river having a great time. It reminded me of the dust=up over John Kerry windsurfing on the Columbia as if windsurfing were akin to hit and run.


There were some pretty blue flowers on the short trail to the river so I got a picture for the blog.


Then we had a great fried chicken and asparagus and grilled potato picnic.


I looked out and I could see Biggs, Oregon from the park in Maryhill, Washington.


The cliffs across the river afforded a great view.


Then we played Scrabble (see score below) where I got a bingo with "F-R-E-A-K-I-N-G" and Scrabble Queen got a triple for "K-N-U-R" whatever that is.


I walked back down to the river in the morning only to see Mount Hood beyond the Sam Hill bridge.


Then we left the park and headed up the hill past the orchard and a cute little church in Maryhill to ...

... Stonehenge - wow!

The project began when Sam Hill, road builder, was mistakenly informed that the original Stonehenge had been used as a sacrificial site. He thus constructed his replica as a reminder that “humanity is still being sacrificed to the god of war.

An almost identical copy, made of concrete, of the more famous English Stonehenge as a memorial to those who died in World War I. Dedicated in 1918, the memorial wasn’t completed until 1930. Hill passed away soon after he finally saw his masterpiece completed.

The dedication plaque on this American Stonehenge reads:

"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."

There was even a diagram of the layout of Stonehenge...


... and a drawing of the original. Admission is free and it is well worth visiting if you are ever in the area.


Just outside the circle of Stonehenge is a tall monolith...


... but inside is the interesting part of this structure where it is almost like a maze of rock.

"Samuel Hill (1857–1931) was a businessman, lawyer, railroad executive and advocate of good roads in the Pacific Northwest. He said highways were his religion. He had a substantial impact on the economic development of the Pacific Northwest in the early 20th century.

Some of his more notable projects include the Peace Arch, a monument to 100 years of peace between the United States and Canada, on the border between Blaine, Washington and Surrey, British Columbia; the Maryhill Museum of Art, a building originally conceived as a residence; and a replica of Stonehenge in Maryhill, a memorial to fallen World War I soldiers from Klickitat County, Washington."

When you are in the center it seems to have plenty of openings but no clear view of the outside world.


There are circles of stone (concrete here and stone in England) within other circles. This Stonehenge was the first War Memorial in the U.S. after WWI.


Yes that's Mount Hood again through one of the openings.

There is Mt. Hood again and the RV park and Cherry Orchard in the lower left corner of this picture.

I walked around the structure and got another shot of the Monolith on the walk.


This shot was taken from the eastern side of Stonehenge from a slightly lower view.


I decided if I ever wanted to get Winnebago to sponsor my cross country trip I'd better show off the Musemobile this blog.

An interesting part of Stonehenge and it's ancient look is the Windmills generating power on the hills in the same shot.

The Horizontal Slab is the "Alter" that Sam Hill believed was used for human sacrifice to the God's of war and that's Sharyn exploring.


Big wow looking at this thing from the base of the alter.


I'm not the only photo nut on the planet.

The original structure is now thought to be a huge calendar tracking the sun with shadow positions much like a sundial.

This place is amazing...


...and incredibly interesting...


... not to mention beautiful.


Some people have said "What in Sam Hill is that?" others say "Thank you Sam Hill for your capturing a dream.


There is also a war memorial for more recent wars on the property for the fallen of this area.

Hill also constructed the Peace Arch, where today's Interstate 5 highway crosses the U.S.–Canada border, celebrates peaceful relations and the open border between the two nations.

Scrabble Score ~ Scrabble Queen 309 - The Contender 297

Quote of the Day ~

"Some archeologists believe that Stonehenge - the mysterious arrangement of enormous elongated stones in England - is actually a crude effort by the Druids to build a computing device." ~ Dave Barry (American Writer and Humorist)