The Maryhill Museum

Chris & I took a trip up the Columbia River Gorge yesterday to the Maryhill museum. It's about a 1:45 minute trip from Portland, about 20 miles east of The Dalles, overlooking the Columbia River, on the Washington side. For those who don't know, the Maryhill was originally a mansion built by successful business man and entrepreneur, Sam Hill for his wife, Mary. However, Sam stopped construction on the house in 1917 and before they ever moved into this house, Sam was convinced to turn the home into a museum at the persuasion of his friend Loie Fuller. Although born in the U.S., Loie was an influential interpretive dancer whose well known friends were among some of the most influential artists in Paris in the early 20th century. She helped to amass the art collection forthe museum, including over 80 sculptures by Auguste Rodin.

Hill also enlisted the help of his friend, Queen Marie of Romania, a Scottish-born noblewoman who married the king of Romania, to assist in building the collection for the Maryhill. Queen Marie dedicated the museum in 1926, almost 10 years after construction was originally stopped on the home, even though it was not yet ready to open to the public at this time. In Queen Marie's personal diary she commented on the house/museum built in the middle of nowhere: "that strange uncouth cement building erected by the just as strange old Samuel Hill. ... I knew when I set out that morning to consecrate that queer freak of a building that no one would understand why; I knew it was empty and in no wise ready to house objects for a museum. I knew there were scoffers about me, even hostilities, but a spirit of understanding was strong in me that day and I managed by my own personality, by my words, by my spirit, to move all the hearts beating there this morning. ... I knew that a dream had been built into this house, a dream beyond the everyday comprehension of the everyday man.

Queen Marie was also an accoplished artist in her own right. She wrote several books, was a talented painter and carved many pieces of furniture that adorned her home. Many of these pieces have been moved to the Maryhill and set up on exhibit there. When she came to dedicate the museum in 1926, she also brought with her $1.5 million in paintings and statuary as well as donating the gown she wore to the coronation of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsaritsa Alexandra.

The museum has some wonderful pieces in its collection, of which only about 20% is on display in the museum. There are also beautiful grounds surrounding the museum. Apparently, Sam Hill was a big advocate of setting up new road systems and using new materials in these roads. To this end he built approximately 10 miles of road on the grounds around the Maryhill. According to some accounts, these were the first paved roads in the state of Washington.

Chris & I had an enjoyable afternoon both in the museum looking at the collections and around the grounds looking at the amazing scenery. One other item of note about the museum, the grounds are the home to many peacocks (I think I counted over a dozen of them) which were added to the museum in 1970. Alas, the peacocks had molted most of their glorious plume of feathers, but they are still a sight to see were just one more bright spot on the day.