Washington sure has some oddities and the Maryhill Museum and Stonehenge have to be near the top of the list. If you aren’t already confused by the fact that we just wrote Stonehenge you will be when we tell you about the museum. It’s truly a “what in Sam Hill?” experience.
You may be familiar with the Hill family from your elementary school history classes. The most famous member of the family being Sam Hill, the road builder, and industrialist. While road building might have been pretty normal in the 1920s, Mr. Hill also had some unique ideas. Namely, his Quaker utopian community that he started to build overlooking the Columbia River.
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Unfortunately for Mr. Hill, his vision failed and he ended up being the only Quaker living in “utopia”. But his vision did give us a museum dedicated to Queen Marie of Romania who happened to be a friend of Sam Hill.
See? We told you the museum was unique. But it doesn’t stop there because Mr. Hill also built a replica of Stonehenge. Because why not? Its mysterious secret is the fact that it also happens to be the earliest World War I war memorial in North America. And for a little extra interest factor, Sam Hill is actually buried in a crypt located just a short walk southwest of Stonehenge on a bluff overlooking the river.
If you’re not already in total shock, Hill Loops Road which surrounds the grounds was “the first macadam asphalt-paved road in the Pacific Northwest”. Yea, this place is really something else, steeped in history, art, and dreams. It’s worth the visit if you’re driving south. Keep in mind, Stonehenge is free to visit but Maryhill charges an admission of $12.
Maryhill Museum & Stonehenge Memorial
Where: 35 Maryhill Museum Drive
