Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial — Attraction in Put-in-Bay Township

Oliver Hazard Perry a mere 20 years old, took on the loook of a seasoned naval hero in the War of 1812. Having been chosen as the one man who could defeat the much larger British fleet on Lake Erie in Sept. 1813; he took his role in our nation's history very seriously. Knowing that the British had 'ships of the line' that were made of "seasoned wood"..old and very DRY; he had his men build their 3 ships from GREEN wood, found near present day Erie, Pa. The British captain, Robert Barclay under-estimated Perry's ability to out-manuever them and early on a crisp September morning met this young, brash American captain who'd soon prove to be 'Just what the doctor ordered.' Some 3.5 miles south-east of West Sister Island the two foes met..Almost from the start, Barclay had the edge. Perry's flag ship, The Niagara, was almost literally 'Shot Out From Under-neath Him.' Having a subordinate row him with our Young Nation's Flag In Tow'; he transferred his command to one of his two remaining ships. The fighting was FIERCE..the sailor's blood being strewn all over the slippery deck. Perry gave the order, "SAND"!..and buckets of sand were thrown over the blood so that the men could gain foot-hold. Perry sailed 'Down the Line'..giving the British a two-fold Broad-Side, his deck cannon disabling the British sails and rigging so they couldn't manuever. "We Have Met The Enemy And They Are Ours!" was his cry. The enlisted men killed were 'buried at sea', a small cannon ball attached to their ankle to prevent the body from bloating and returning to the surface. The officers killed were given a burial on 'Terra Firma' on the Isle of St. George..today known as South Bass Island; where today a 352' monument rises in honor of Commodore Perry. The spot is a National Park now...where the public can view the beautiful islands from high...

Always a great place to visit and on a clear day the view from the top is amazing. Rangers there are pretty knowledgeable about history and the area. Note that shorter children may have a hard time seeing over the wall at the top and they are pretty strict about standing at least a couple of feet back from the wall when holding a child up. The visitor center located just a short walk from the monument is nice and has a fair amount of the history of the monument itself.

If you have a hard time with stairs or are wheelchair bound, you'll have to settle for seeing the monument from the outside. Entering the bottom of the monument, there are a few steps down to the inside. To get to the top, however; you must climb a narrow curving staircase the equivalent of about 2 floors to the elevator level where you buy a (pretty inexpensive) ticket if you are an adult. Kids are free. The elevator itself is small and they won't take more than 10 people on any one trip up or down. Once at the top you can stay as long as you like and if you keep your receipt, you can come back for free, even the next day.

Definitely a "must visit" when visiting the island. We try to go every year. There were a number of years where the monument was closed for emergency repairs when a SLAB of marble fell over 300 feet to the ground. Luckily no one was hurt. If you are afraid of heights, this isn't too bad because there's no noticeable sway at all. My youngest son is terrified of heights and he was fine and even enjoyed it because the solid wall in front of him made...

This park is the highlight of a visit to one of Ohio's finest tourist destinations...South Bass Island with its iconic village of Put-in-Bay. The park is located just outside the Put-in-Bay Village center. When arriving by ferry on the opposite side of this small island, you can take a taxi to get there. However, for a more unusual experience, rent a golf cart and drive there.

The day we visited, there was a living history enactment of the War of 1812 era replete with an encampment and cannon demonstrations. This added an extra element of fun. But aside from special occasions such as this, the two main attractions of this park are the Visitor Center and the Memorial Tower. The displays in the Visitor Center are interesting and give perspective to the historical battle that the Memorial commemorates. The film they show in the Center Theater provides an educational overview of the battle.

The other primary attraction is, of course, the Memorial Tower. A ride to the top is a little pricey at $10 USD per person, unless you have a National Park Pass (such as a Lifetime Senior Pass), in which case a visit to the top is one of the card benefits. Even a paid visit is worth it if you appreciate panoramic views, which are spectacular in this case.

If you haven't been to Put-in-Bay or to the Memorial, do yourself a favor and plan a visit. Like most sites run by the NPS, it's worth the effort to get there. We actually hope to make a return visit to the park in the...