Put-in-Bay Perry Memorial Cleaning Is Nearly Complete!
PUT-IN-BAY, OHIO – Despite windy and rainy weather, workers have 85 percent of the cleaning completed on the Put-in-Bay Perry Memorial column at Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial and Construction Manager Jeff Ashton said the restoration project is on schedule, and they hope to complete on time.
Ashton said 20 percent of the work removing the caulking is complete, and workers are currently replacing the mortar in the areas where the caulking has been removed. Coon Construction from Louisville, Ohio, is doing the work on the Put-in-Bay Perry Memorial. “We have protection in place at the top,” said Ashton, who represents the National Park Service in overseeing the $1.8 million project. “We have a weather station that updates us on weather and wind conditions every 12 minutes. Ashton said the crews cannot work in situations when winds are in excess of 25 mph.
Ashton said the exposed stone surfaces of the plaza have been covered in plywood or fabric to protect it while the work is being done. “The Put-in-Bay Perry Memorial remains fenced and inaccessible to the public during the cleaning and repairs,” said Park Superintendent Barbara Fearon.
The fence will remain until the work is completed. “The column’s interior tile repairs were completed in the Spring,” she added, “and we’re happy with the progress being made on the exterior as we make plans to reopen next May,” Ashton said he anticipates the project will be complete soon after the park wraps up the 2017 season. “The contract stipulates it is finished by January 2018,” he said, “and we’re still on schedule to make that happen.”
Perry Memorial Maintenence
The 352-foot tall Put-in-Bay Perry Memorial column is scheduled to repair the mortar joints every 20 years. In June 2006, a 500-pound chunk of granite fell 317 from outside the observation deck. Subsequently, the Put-in-Bay Perry Memorial was closed periodically through 2012 for structural surveys and repairs.
“We know it seems like the column has been inaccessible a lot this decade,” Superintendent Fearon said, “but the Put-in-Bay Perry Memorial is over 100 years old and requires maintenance to ensure its longevity. We aim to ensure the memorial is here for future generations to be inspired and learn from. Beyond that, our first priority is the safety of our guests and our staff and the respect due the veterans buried beneath the dome.”
About Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial. The park was established to honor those who fought in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812 and to celebrate the long-lasting peace between the United States, Great Britain, and Canada. The Memorial, a Doric column rising 352 feet over Lake Erie, is 5 miles from the longest undefended border in the world.
For more information about Perry’s Victory, please visit, be inspired, and learn from your experience. Beyond that, our first priority is the safety of our guests and our staff and the respect from the veterans buried beneath the dome.”
About Perry Memorial
About Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial. The park was established to honor those who fought in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812 and to celebrate the long-lasting peace between the United States, Great Britain, and Canada. The Memorial, a Doric column, rising 352 feet over Lake Erie, is 5 miles from the longest undefended border in the world. For more information about Perry’s Victory visit www.nps.gov/pevi or call 419-285-218
0 Comments