The National Memorial to the “Start Westward of the United States”
Monument and Esplanade with Temporary Protective Cover
Geography of Marietta, OH and Surrounding Area
The National Memorial to the "Start Westward of the United States" is located in the city of Marietta, OH. It resides in the beautiful Muskingum Park, which borders the Muskingum River, a tributary of the Ohio River. A small river landing lies along the bank of the Muskingum River with stairs that connect it to the esplanade that the Monument rests upon. Along with the statue and esplanade, four Pylons are stationed at the north and south entrances of Muskingum Park. The eagles atop these Pylons were also carved by Gutzon Borglum and were crafted from the same sandstone as the main sculpture.
PhotoKey
(1) North Pylons
(1) Northeast Pylon Inscription
(1) Northwest Pylon Inscription
(2) Front of Monument and Esplanade with Temporary Protective Cover
(3) Left of Monument and Esplanade
(4) Right of Monument and Esplanade
(5) Front of Monument
(6) Back of Monument
(7) Full View of Back of Monument
(8) Stairs to Esplanade from River Landing
(9) Memorial Engraving
(10) Memorial Plaque
(11) Stairs to River Landing from Esplanade
(12) River Landing
(13) River Landing Plaque
(14) South Pylons
(14) Southwest Pylon Inscription
(14) Southeast Pylon Inscription
The National Register of Historic Places
The Start Westward Memorial Society has nominated the Memorial to the “Start Westward of the United States” to be listed on the National Register of Historical Places (NRHP). What is the NRHP? According to the National Park Service “The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation… [it] is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources.” The Memorial’s nomination to join the register was submitted to the the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office as of January 20th, 2025, and is currently under review.
The Start Westward Memorial deserves to be on the National Register of Historic Places. It is an important reminder of the critical role Marietta, the first settlement in the Northwest Territory, played in the development and expansion of our nation westward. It serves as a testament to the strength and resilience of the first settlers of the Northwest Territory and highlights the beauty of the American Dream. We are very proud of this memorial. We consider it to be of both regional and national importance; it is historically significant in marking the development of our nation. We find it more than appropriate that this important memorial should be listed on the NRHP.