About Maryhill Stonehenge
Near the Columbia River outside Goldendale stands a full-scale Stonehenge built from reinforced concrete. Maryhill Stonehenge copies the basic arrangement and dimensions of the famous English monument while placing the entire structure on a Washington bluff.
Road builder and entrepreneur Samuel Hill began the project as a memorial to local soldiers killed during World War I. The structure was dedicated in 1918 and completed in 1929. Local stone proved unsuitable for the planned construction, so reinforced concrete became the solution.
Workers went to unusual lengths to keep the modern material from looking modern. Forms were lined with crumpled material to create rough surfaces intended to resemble weathered stone rather than smooth poured concrete.
The monument is open to visitors without admission during posted hours. Washington has no shortage of dramatic natural scenery, but few viewpoints include a complete concrete version of Stonehenge standing above the river.