The Perry Monument is a 101 foot structure located at the eastern end of Presque Isle. Standing next to Misery Bay, named by the men of Perry’s naval squadron, who wintered here 1813-1814 after the crucial Battle of Lake Erie in September 1813.
The Monument is dedicated to Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, who was a prominent naval squadron leader during the War of 1812. Oliver Hazard Perry, along with Presque Isle, played a vital role in the victory over the British in the War. Perry strategically used the peninsula’s bay as a natural protection for his men, and a place to construct 6 of the 9 ships in his fleet. Using this location would force the enemy to travel all the way around the peninsula, leaving the enemy vulnerable.
The plaque at the base of the monument reads:
Erected by the State of Pennsylvania to commemorate the victory of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry in the Battle of Lake Erie. September 10th, 1813.