Millcreek Township near Erie in Erie County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Tribute to a Hero

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 26, 2013

1. Tribute to a Hero Marker

Inscription.
The Oliver Hazard Perry Monument
The Continental Construction Company of Erie constructed this 80-foot limestone monument to Oliver Hazard Perry in 1926. Erie architect Fred Fuller designed the monument. Its cost exceeded $45,000.

A Popular Destination
The Pennsylvania State Art Commission and a local task force built the monument on Presque Isle because it could be seen from the Erie shoreline. They believed the monument would attract visitors to Presque Isle, which was designated a state park in 1921. From 1969 to 1971, new steps, a railing and a moat were added during a $500,000 renovation. The monument remains a popular tourist sight.

Never to be Forgotten
The contributions of Perry and his determined shipbuilders will not he forgotten. With a little of Perry's Luck, this towering presence will forever stand as a fitting tribute to the heroic commander for whom it was built.

In Honor of Perry
Other monuments to Perry include a 352-foot granite doric column in Put-in-Bay, Ohio, and statues in both Newport, Rhode Island and downtown Erie, PA.

Did You Know?
In 1977 the USS Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7) was launched, the first in a line of 55 Perry class guided missile frigates built by the Navy.

”Nothing could intimidate, nothing
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dishearten, Perry.”
William V. Taylor, Sailing Master of the Lawrence

Marker photo caption: The Perry Monument, Presque Isle State Park, circa 1930s
Pennsylvania State Archives

Erected by Presque Isle Partnership, Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, and Erie Community Foundation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Man-Made Features • Parks & Recreational Areas • Patriots & Patriotism • War of 1812 • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1926.

Location. 42° 9.3′ N, 80° 5.384′ W. Marker is near Erie, Pennsylvania, in Erie County. It is in Millcreek Township. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Fisher Drive and Thompson Drive, on the right when traveling east. Marker is located at the east end of the walking path to the Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry Monument at Crystal Point in Presque Isle State Park, on the left (north) side of the walkway. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Erie PA 16507, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Son of the Sea (a few steps from this marker); Perry Monument: A Beacon of the Community (a few steps from this marker); And the Misery begins… (within

Tribute to a Hero Marker (<i>tall view; Commodore Perry Monument in background</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 26, 2013

2. Tribute to a Hero Marker (tall view; Commodore Perry Monument in background)

shouting distance of this marker); Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); From the Bay to the Battle (within shouting distance of this marker); Erie's Industrial Explosion (within shouting distance of this marker); Fishing on the Sweet Sea (within shouting distance of this marker); Preparing For Battle (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Erie.

More about this marker. Marker is a large, rectangular, composite plaque, mounted vertically on a waist-high post.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry Monument, Presque Isle State Park

Also see . . .
1. USS Oliver Hazard Perry. USS Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7), lead ship of the Oliver Hazard Perry class of guided-missile frigates, was named for Oliver Hazard Perry, American naval hero, who was victorious at the 1813 Battle of Lake Erie. Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7) was the first ship and, as of 2015, the only ship of that

Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry Monument<br>(<i>marker visible on left</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 26, 2013

3. Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry Monument
(marker visible on left)

name in the U.S. Navy. Oliver Hazard Perry was in service from 1977 to 1997 and was scrapped in 2005. (Submitted on February 16, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Monuments to Perry are located in many other locations.
• Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial at Put-In-Bay, Ohio
• Front Park, by Charles Henry Niehaus, in Buffalo, New York
• Wade Park by William Walcutt, and Herman Matzen, in Cleveland, Ohio
• Perry Square, monument designed by Paul Philippe Cret, in Erie, Pennsylvania
• Eisenhower Park in Newport, RI, statue by William Greene Turner
• Trinity Episcopal Church in Newport, RI, memorial plaque. (Submitted on February 16, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 15, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 210 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 16, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.