Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial

Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial is a 352-foot tall Doric monument on South Bass Island in Lake Erie. The column houses an elevator shaft leading to an observation platform beneath the lantern, from which Canada and the western islands are visible.

The memorial was built between 1912 and 1915 to celebrate peace following the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813, when American forces under Oliver Hazard Perry defeated the British fleet. Six officers rest in the crypt, three from each side, as a symbol of reconciliation after conflict.

The protection of this international frontier through treaty rather than arms marked a shift in diplomacy reflected in the engraved names of fallen personnel from both sides. Visitors find inscriptions in the rotunda commemorating British, Canadian, and American servicemen, a sign of shared history rather than rivalry.

Entry is through the visitor center at the base of the column, where a short staircase leads to the elevator. On days with high wind or thunderstorms, the observation platform may close for safety reasons.

The column stands taller than the Statue of Liberty by several feet and contains a copy of the 1817 Rush-Bagot Treaty, which initiated the demilitarization of the Canadian-American border. Underground lies a water tank that stabilizes the weight of the structure and prevents erosion from lake winds.

Location: Put-in-Bay

Operator: National Park Service

Phone: +14192852184

Website: https://nps.gov/pevi

GPS coordinates: 41.65420,-82.81140

Latest update: December 15, 2025 03:25