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Marietta in Washington County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
 

Memorial to the “Start Westward of the United States”

 
 
Memorial to the "Start Westward of the United States" Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 30, 2009
1. Memorial to the "Start Westward of the United States" Marker
Inscription.
Sculpted for Marietta's Sesquicentennial by Gutzon Borglum
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Dedicated July 1938 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as a tribute to those farsighted pioneers who journeyed here from New England in 1788 and established Marietta as the first permanent settlement in the Northwest Territory under the landmark Ordinance of 1787
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Rededicated July 1988 at the Closing Ceremonies for Marietta's Bicentennial Celebration to the Sesquicentennial Pioneer Caravan and in memory of Edwin “Zeke” Pugh (1917-1988) member of the 1937-1938 Caravan and leader of the 1987-1988 Bicentennial Trekkers.
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Restored as a Bicentennial project through generous contributions from school children in Marietta and Washington County.
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Other contributors to the 1987-1988 restoration:
Northwest Ordinance/U.S. Constitution Bicentennial Commission, U.S. Capitol Bicentennial Christmas Tree Fund, Wayne National Forest, Marian Baesel Schimmel Sesquicentennial Pioneer Caravan, Ohio Historical Society, Colonial Dames 17th Century, Marietta Mary Ann Genheimer, Mary Gardner Owen Society, N.S.C.A.R., Marietta Bicentennial Commission
 
Erected 1938 by Marietta Bicentennial
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Celebration and Additional Organizations Seen in Monument Inscription.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: ExplorationPatriots & PatriotismSettlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is July 15, 1938.
 
Location. 39° 24.943′ N, 81° 27.462′ W. Marker is in Marietta, Ohio, in Washington County. Marker is on Front Street, on the right when traveling south. Marker is next to the Start Westward memorial in Muskingum Park, off Front Street, about 600 feet northwest of Putnam Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Marietta OH 45750, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Memorial To The Start Westward (a few steps from this marker); Muskingum Park (a few steps from this marker); General Arthur St. Clair (within shouting distance of this marker); Meigs House (within shouting distance of this marker); Buckley House (within shouting distance of this marker); First Congregational Church (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named First Congregational Church (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Washington County Veterans Memorial (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Marietta.
 
Start Westward Memorial and Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 30, 2009
2. Start Westward Memorial and Marker
Looking from Front Street toward Muskingum River.
Inscription on Monument image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 30, 2009
3. Inscription on Monument
This group of Revolutionary and Pioneer figures represents the start of American government west of the thirteen original states. Mt. Rushmore's Gutzon Borglum sculptured, from native sandstone, the memorial which was dedicated at the sesquicentennial by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Commemorating the bicentennial, the Marietta Kiwanis Club has added the flags of the six states formed from the Northwest Territory, our national flag, and provided permanent illumination.
July 15, 1988
(Flags can be seen in Photo #2)
Start Westward Memorial (front) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 30, 2009
4. Start Westward Memorial (front)
Start Westward Memorial (rear) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 30, 2009
5. Start Westward Memorial (rear)
Start Westward Memorial image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 30, 2009
6. Start Westward Memorial
Looking toward Front Street and the Meigs House.
Marietta Bicentennial Logo on Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 30, 2009
7. Marietta Bicentennial Logo on Marker
Memorial to the "Start Westward of the United States" Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Rev. Ronald Irick, July 10, 2010
8. Memorial to the "Start Westward of the United States" Marker
the river landing, on the Muskingum, just west of the statue and marker
Memorial to the "Start Westward of the United States" Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Rev. Ronald Irick, July 10, 2010
9. Memorial to the "Start Westward of the United States" Marker
inscription on what I call “the Front Steps of Ohio”
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on December 2, 2019. It was originally submitted on July 9, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,600 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on July 9, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.   8, 9. submitted on January 17, 2015, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 19, 2024