Lake Erie monument reopens after 3-year renovation

PUT-IN-BAY, Ohio (AP) — A Lake Erie landmark on an island in Ohio has undergone a three-year renovation and is reopened ahead of schedule for Independence Day.

The 350-foot tall Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial on South Bass Island has had repairs made to its observation deck and elevator. The monument built nearly 100 years ago commemorates a key victory in the War of 1812.

The Sandusky Register reports the reopening was scheduled for July 20, but the memorial’s superintendent announced it opened today.

Repairs have been ongoing since a 500-pound piece of concrete fell off the observation deck in 2006 and punched a hole into the plaza below. The monument has been closed the last three years.