Maryhill Castle - Maryhill, Washington - Castles on Waymarking.com

Maryhill Castle was built by multimillionaire, Samuel Hill, and sits atop the edge of the Columbia Gorge, with excellent views of both the river and the Cascade mountain range. The starkness of the setting makes the structure seem even grander.

Sam Hill had this poured concrete castle built in an area where he planned to create a Quaker colony. This would have been his residence where he would act as leader of the community. Hill belatedly discovered that the colonists that he was "importing" from Belgium were unwilling to settle on the parched slopes of the Columbia Gorge. He gave up on the colony idea and decided instead to turn his home into an art gallery. His friend, Loie Fuller, an acclaimed Folies Bergere pioneer of modern dance, used her friendships within Parisian art circles, helping Hill to acquire an extensive collection of original Auguste Rodin sculptures.

In 1926, Hill invited Queen Marie of Romania to dedicate his still unfinished museum. Marie felt deep gratitude toward Hill, who had generously aided Romania after World War I. Thousands of people converged at Maryhill to witness the ceremony.

The Maryhill Museum of Art is open March 15th through November 15th each year, from 9-5 daily. Cost of admission is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors, and $3 for children. The sculpture garden and sculptural overlook on the site can be visited free of charge. The museum is located about 12 miles South of Goldendale, just off Highway 14 which runs along the scenic corridor of the Columbia Gorge.

When visiting Maryhill be sure to also stop at the nearby Loops Road and Stonehenge Replica, also historically significant to the region and built by Sam Hill.

Accessibility: Full access Condition: Intact Admission Charge?: yes Website: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log User Rating   07/12/2014 Cool Cow Cachers visited it 07/09/2011 PYNEKONE visited it 07/03/2009 Volcanoguy visited it 09/21/2008 riston2 visited it 05/04/2007 Hikenutty visited it

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