Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to get to the island?

There are several ways to get to South Bass Island. The most common ways are to fly, take the Miller Boat Line passenger and vehicle Ferry that leaves from Catawba Island (which is actually a peninsula at the end of Route 53), or ride the Jet Express passenger ferry that leaves from both Port Clinton and Sandusky. more...

 

What can you see from the observation deck of the monument?

The observation gallery offers a panoramic view of western Lake Erie. You can usually see Middle Bass Island, North Bass Island, Johnson's Island, Kelley's Island, Pelee Island in Canada, and the Ohio mainland of Catawba Point and Marblehead Peninsula. On a real clear day you can see as far as Detroit, Toledo and Cleveland. more...

 

Why is the monument significant?

On September 10, 1813, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry defeated and captured a British squadron of warships in the Battle of Lake Erie. The battle secured control of Lake Erie for the United States and enabled General William Henry Harrison to invade Canada. Harrison subsequently defeated the British and Indians at the Thames River on October 5, 1813. The dual victories gave the United States a much stronger bargaining position at the peace talks. The Treaty of Ghent, signed on Christmas Eve 1814, ended the War 1812. In 1817 the United States signed the Rush-Bagot Agreement with Great Britain, a document that has resulted in peaceful relations between the United States, Great Britain, and Canada since the War of 1812. Constructed between 1912 and 1915 Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial was built not only to commemorate the American naval triumph, but also "to inculcate the lessons of international peace by arbitration and disarmament." On June 2, 1936 the memorial was established as a unit of the National Park Service by a presidential proclamation of Franklin D. Roosevelt. more...

 

Can I go to the observation deck of the memorial?

Yes, you can visit the top when the memorial opens for the 2013 season on May 25. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. all days of the week. more..