Maryhill Museum graces the middle of nowhere

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Maryhill Museum graces the middle of nowhere

By MELISSA O'NEIL
Herald staff writer

The saying, "What the Sam Hill?" has nothing to do with the Sam Hill who built the Maryhill Museum of Art.

But it sure is applicable.

The museum is at the junction of Highways 14 and 97. It sits high on a bluff on the Washington side of the Columbia River, south of Goldendale and across the river from Biggs, Ore. Essentially, pretty close to the middle of nowhere.

Yet the globetrotting Hill, with his connections to high society and European royalty, managed to put together an astounding collection of artwork.

Usually, one must travel to a big-city museum to see original sculptures and watercolors by French artist Auguste Rodin, intriguing international chess sets dating back to the 1800s, Russian icons from the 19th century.

A thorough exhibit of Indian artifacts is sure to please any fan of Disney's Pocahontas.

And a royal touch is provided by items from the late Queen Marie of Romania, who traveled in 1926 to the place where "western rains meet the eastern sun" to dedicate the museum. Maryhill was named after Hill's wife and daughter.

The museum's directors add to the permanent collections with rotating contemporary art displays, such as exotic glass by Seattle's Dale Chihuly.

Maryhill Museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 15 through Nov. 15. Admission is $5 for adults, $4.50 for senior citizens, $1.50 for children ages 6 through 16 and free for those 5 and under. About two hours are needed to do justice to what the three floors have to offer.

An affordable lunch or snack is available on the lower level from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The cafe serves sandwiches, pastries, fruit, espresso and other beverages.

Indoor and outdoor seating is available. A gift store sells postcards, books, jewelry and intellectually stimulating toys.

For those looking for a picnic spot, there's no charge to enter the museum's green and shady grounds. And the view is spectacular.

Stonehenge is another spot for a driving break.

The replica of the English landmark is three miles east of the museum.

Hill built the concrete structure as a memorial to Klickitat County soldiers who died in World War I.

Stonehenge is built to the same dimensions as the original. A plaque explains how to figure out the sun and moon alignments, just as ancient astronomers did at the British circle of stones.

The monument is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. There's no entry fee and also no rest rooms.

Sam Hill's Country Store has a chemical toilet out back and sells beverages, ice cream and candy bars.

To stretch your legs, Hill's tomb is 50 yards down a steep path.

And before heading back to the highway, local fruit and vegetables are available at a couple stands just a mile downhill from Stonehenge.

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