Maryhill, WA - Sep. 26 - 28, 2008
On September 26th we traveled 100-miles up the Columbia River to Maryhill, WA, which took us from the shadowy forests of the Cascade Range, to the sun-scorched grasslands of eastern Washington. The US 97 bridge over the Columbia just west of Maryhill State Park was closed for construction, so except for the minimal construction noise, we had a very peaceful three day stay in this incredibly beautiful park.
Maryhill is a very curious place. A farming community located on the banks of the Columbia River, it has a population of less than 100, an impressive art museum, a wonderful winery and a Stonehenge. Yes, a Stonehenge. Curious.
The tiny community of Maryhill is situated deep in the Columbia River Gorge. At river level it lies among rich, green orchards and vineyards; but just a short climb above the blue river one encounters steep, red lava cliffs, and above that, golden wheat fields. The contrast is dramatic.
One cannot talk of the wonders of Maryhill without first introducing Samuel Hill (1857-1931), a Quaker, lawyer, entrepreneur, road builder, philanthropist and international traveler. He founded the "Good Roads" movement in the northwest and is credited with building the Scenic Columbia River Highway. Hill made a small fortune and spent most of it on other people, causes and programs he believed in. He also traveled the world to promote peaceful trade and prosperity. He befriended Queen Marie of Romania and Alma Spreckels, the San Francisco sugar heiress, during his efforts to provide humanitarian assistance in Europe after WWI
In 1905, Hill purchased 6,000 acres on the Columbia River and tried unsuccessfully to establish a Quaker farming community. In 1914 he started building his mansion on the bluffs overlooking the river. A friend, Loïe Fuller, a pioneer of modern dance in Paris, convinced him to turn his mansion into a museum of art. Sam Hill died in 1931, shortly before the mansion was completed. However, with the guidance and contributions of Alma Spreckels, Queen Marie and Loïe Fuller, the Maryhill Museum of Art was completed and dedicated on May 13, 1940.
The Museum, sculpture garden, and adjacent Lewis and Clark Overlook and Garden is well worth the visit. The permanent art collection includes works by European masters, Native American Art, artifacts from the extended Romanian royal family, including pictures of Czar Nicholas and Queen Victoria, and Orthodox icons, Art Nouveau Glass and an extensive chess sets collection. The museum offered a traveling "Andy Warhol and Other Famous Faces" exhibit during out visit.
Four miles east of the Museum, is Sam Hill's replica of England's neolithic Stonehenge, built as a WWI memorial to Klickitat County soldiers fallen in battle. The monument is very impressive and the views spectacular. Shortly after our arrival we hiked up the 700-foot bluffs to explore Stonehenge in the golden afternoon sunlight. From the memorial we could see Mt. Hood rising from the haze beyond the blue ribbon of the Columbia River. Susan returned the next morning and spotted a Bighorn sheep on her hike up the bluff.
That afternoon we spent several hours at the museum and sculpture gardens. We then drove about 3 miles west to indulge in a little wine tasting at the lovely Maryhill Winery. We were very pleased with the wines and, once again, the views were magnificent. The winery includes an amphitheater and sponsors concerts and wine events throughout the year. The 2008 concert series included B.B.King, Michael McDonald and Crosby, Stills and Nash.
We regretted only allowing for three nights at Maryhill. We could have easily stayed longer, but we had a date with another state park at the confluence of the Wenatchee and Columbia Rivers. So, we reluctantly climbed out of the Columbia River Gorge and headed 175 miles north through the arid wheat fields, fertile orchards and forest to Wenatchee, apple capital of the world.
