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Perry’s Monument & Peace Memorial

Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry commanded of United States naval forces on Lake Erie during the War of 1812.  On September 10, 1813, his command fought a successful fleet action against a task force of the Royal Navy in the Battle of Lake Erie. Perry’s victory was the first time in history that an entire British naval squadron had surrendered. His leadership materially aided the successful outcomes of all nine Lake Erie military campaign victories, and the fleet victory was a turning point in the battle for the West in the War of 1812.  Perry was honored with a Congressional Gold Medal, the thanks of Congress, and a promotion to the rank of Captain. During the years following the war, many attempts were made to establish a memorial to this event.  However, this was unsuccessful due to a lack of organization and financing. On February 28, 1908, the General Assembly of Ohio, by joint resolution, provided for the appointment of a commission to observe the approaching centennial anniversary of the Battle of Put-in-Bay.  The states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, New York, Rhode Island, Kentucky, Minnesota, and Louisiana all appointed commissioners to cooperate in this venture.  This memorial was “to inculcate the lessons of international peace by arbitration and disarmament.” This memorial was constructed by the multi-state commission from 1912 to 1915.  Beneath the stone floor of the monument lie the remains of three American officers and three British officers. Carved in the rotunda walls are the names of Perry’s vessels along with the names of the Americans who were killed or wounded in the battle. The memorial consists of the great Doric column of pink-white granite 45 feet in diameter and 352 feet tall standing in the center of the plaza which extends from a museum on one hand to a heroic bronze statue flanked by a colonnade. Records from the Grand Lodge of Ohio indicate that a corner stone laying ceremony was held at ‘High 12’ on July 4, 1913.  An emergent communication was opened by Grand Master Edward S. Griffiths aboard the City of Buffalo as it sat in the harbor at Put in Bay. Present at the laying of the cornerstone were over 5000 members of the Craft including officers and representatives from many of the Grand Lodges from states involved in this project.  A procession was formed under the direction of the Grand Marshall Matthew Smith and was escorted by more than 1000 knights Templar who marched to the base of the memorial. 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 monument and provided additional funding. The official dedication was celebrated on July 31, 1931. This monument is administered by the National Park Service and is the only federal monument dedicated to Peace.  As such, its purpose clearly reflects the Masonic tenet of Brotherly Love.

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