Preservation Record
November 2025 – Stone absorption testing provides two important pieces of information.
First, the stone can be repaired with composite patch materials designed for stone. There are composite patch material options custom-designed for sandstone repair available from several manufacturers that could be used to recreate the missing and deteriorating surfaces of the monument. These products are either designed for thin application or can be carved back to accommodate a thin fill.
Second, the polymer repair material can likely be removed even where it is not delaminating, providing an additional treatment option.
September 2025 - Letter sent to Ohio History Connection (OHC) with three requests:
OHC refuse to permit the City to exclude the Start Westward Memorial Society
from the process of determining the best preservation method.
OHC allow the Start Westward Memorial Society a meaningful opportunity to obtain a full evaluation of the option to preserve the memorial preservation in place and if appropriate, to also plan for and pursue funding for restoration and preservation in place.
No final decision be made until the National Park Service issues its decision regarding the addition of the Start Westward Memorial to the National Register of Historic Places.
June 2025 - City of Marietta moves forward with plans to cast bronze replica.
Historic Monument in Marietta Faces Removal Amid Preservation Concerns
February 2025 - Settlers Bank contributed $6,500 to assist the preservation in-place campaign.
January 2025 - With the assistance of Historic Preservation Group LLC, a nomination is submitted to the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office for consideration of the Memorial to the “Start Westward of the United States” to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
September 2023 - After Consultation with the National Parks Service Historical Preservation Center, the Start Westward Memorial Society directors voted to pursue conservation for the memorial.
Start Westward Memorial Monument…$770,508
Start Westward Memorial Pylons……….$306,420
Total: $1,076,928
September 2022 - Borglum’s Grand Children visit Marietta.
September 16, 2022: Robin Borglum Kennedy speaking at Public Meeting
June 2022- Start Westward Memorial Society: New Plaque Installed.
June 2022: A new plaque, after the prior one went missing, was created by Brad Smith at Sewah Studios and installed on the river landing.
March 2021- City of Marietta: Replaced lighting.
March 2021: Lighting installed by the City of Marietta.
October 2020 - City of Marietta: Schnabel Conservation LLC, Trenton, HJ, performed an on-site assessment June 15-17 and offered three sandstone conservation options:
Option 1 - No Action
Option 2 - Conservation In-Place
Option 3 - Relocate Indoors
Read the full report.
June 2020 - City of Marietta: Installed temporary protective cover.
June 2020: Temporary cover installed by the City of Marietta using $50,000 Block Grant Funding.
May 2003 - Marietta Kiwanis Club: Proposed permanent protective cover.
May 2003: Nancy Hoy (far left) and Allan Norris explaining to an unknown Marietta resident the Kiwanis Club’s proposed covering.
June 1998 - City of Marietta: Robert Lodge and two additional McKay Lodge Laboratory employees preformed cosmetic work and strongly urged the only way to assure the preservation of the sandstone was by protecting it from water under a cover (ideally a pavilion).
June 1998: Robert Lodge applying cosmetic sandstone repairs on the base of the Memorial
June 1988 - Marietta Kiwanis Club: Steven Wisenbaugh, Conservator, Harrison, OH removed graffiti and filled cracks with color matched mortar.
State of the monument prior to graffiti removal.
May 1987 - Marietta Kiwanis Club: Installed flags and lighting.
May 1987: Kiwanis Club’s final adjustment of the lighting system they installed for the bicentennial along with flags of the six northwest Territory States.
August 1975 - Leo Wagner: Reattached the head on the figure nearest the river.
September 1973 - Tom Vadakin: Cleaned an asphalt material from the sculpture.
March 1964 - In March 1964, Marietta experienced its first major flood since 1937. The monument was submerged up to the pioneer’s boat. No cleaning or repairs were needed following the 45.2 ft. flood.
March 1964 - David Baker’s photo from his canoe
April 1962 - The head of the center-standing pioneer was broken off and shattered into multiple pieces by a child climbing on the statue. Fred Mitchem, one of the original stone setters employed by the WPA in 1938, cemented the broken pieces of the head back together. The cemented head was then used as a reference for the carving of a replacement crafted from sandstone taken from the same quarry as the original carving.
April 1962: Fred Mitchem (far right) supervising attachment of the center standing pioneer’s replacement head he carved from matching sandstone.
September 1938 - Gutzon Borglum returns to Marietta to complete his project.
