The Hollow Earth Monument
Grave of Capt. John Cleve Symmes
as a philosopher,
and the originator of
Symmes Theory of Concentric
Spheres and Polar voids.
He contended that the Earth
is hollow and habitable
within.
Capt.
John C. Symmes
a Native of
New Jersey,
died
in May 1829
Aged 49 yrs.&
6 months
Capt. John Cleves Symmes
entered the Army of the U.S.
as an Ensign
in the year 1802. He afterward
rose to the rank of Captain,
and performed daring feats
of Bravery in the Battles of
Lundys Lane and sortie from
Fort Erie.
Erected 1873 by Americus Symmes.
Topics. This historical marker and monument is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Science & Medicine • War of 1812.
Location. 39° 23.715′ N, 84° 33.696′ W. Marker is in Hamilton, Ohio, in Butler County. It is on South Third Street, on the left when traveling south. marker is at the center of Symmes Park Playground, originally Ludlow Park, the Hamilton Pioneer Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 401 South Third Street, Hamilton OH 45011, United States of America.
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Regionally, this marker and monument is in Greater Cincinnati and in the Miami Valley. It is also in the American Midwest. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Symmes Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Pvt. Paul Bonnel (within shouting distance of this marker); Pilgrim Baptist Church / A Beacon of Light for Over a Hundred Years (approx. 0.2 miles away); Abraham Lincoln's 1859 Hamilton Speech (approx. Ό mile away); The Hamilton Gateway (approx. Ό mile away); Cosmopolitan No. 4 (approx. 0.3 miles away); Butler County Courthouse (approx. 0.3 miles away); Flood Level (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hamilton.
Also see . . . Hollow Earth Monument (Atlas Obscura). "A memorial for an outsider theorist who believed that the planet is
Credits. This page was last revised on June 24, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 20, 2018, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. This page has been viewed 952 times since then and 91 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on April 20, 2018, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. 7. submitted on April 24, 2018, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. 8, 9, 10. submitted on June 17, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
