Perry’s Monument

The Put-in-Bay Perry’s Monument, A 352-foot (107 m) monument – the world’s most massive Doric column – was constructed in Put-in-Bay, Ohio, by a multi-state commission from 1912 to 1915 “to inculcate the lessons of international peace by arbitration and disarmament.” Beneath the stone floor of the monument lie the remains of three American officers and three British officers.

The Put-in-Bay Perry’s Monument is among the tallest monuments in the United States (the Gateway Arch, San Jacinto Monument, and Washington Monument are taller). Although substantially completed in 1915, funding problems prevented the proper completion of a fully realized memorial complex. In 1919 the federal government assumed control of the Put-in-Bay Perry’s Monument and provided additional funding. The official dedication was celebrated on July 31, 1931. In 2002, 2.4 million dollars was spent on a new visitor center. The memorial is visited by over 200,000 people each year.

Administrative History

Established as Put-in-Bay Perry’s Monument Victory and International Peace Memorial National Monument by Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 2, 1936 (Proclamation No. 2182), redesignated as a National Memorial and renamed on October 26, 1972. As with all historic areas administered by the National Park Service, the memorial was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. It is the only peace memorial within the National Park Service.

Perry’s Monument Structural Concerns

The column, The Put-in-Bay Perry’s Monument Memorial, was closed for most of the summer of 2006. A 500-pound (230 kg) chunk of granite broke off the observation deck on the southeast corner, falling 315 feet (96 m) in June, leaving a crater in the plaza. There were no injuries.  A structural assessment was performed, and it was deemed safe for visitors. The Put-in-Bay Perry’s Monument reopened on August 26, 2006,  albeit with a fence surrounding it. Comprehensive studies were planned, and the results determined the repairs that were necessary and how much the work will cost.

It is estimated that the Put-in-Bay Perry’s Monument will close for up to 3 years for renovation. This three-phase project on the Put-in-Bay Perry’s Monument will start with the observation deck. Once the observation deck has been completed, then the entrance and rotunda will receive attention. The Put-in-Bay Perry’s Monument closed on September 30, 2009, for two years and reopened in July 2012. The repairs to the observation deck were estimated at $7,000,000.