Who doesn’t want a little oddity in the middle of a park? The Hollow Earth Theory Monument stands in the middle of the Symmes Park Playground in Hamilton, Ohio. Its history is interesting, to say the least.
The monument is the gravesite of Capt. John Cleves Symmes, an 1812 war hero. He was also a philosopher; he even came up with the Theory of Concentric Spheres and Polar Voids. He believed that the Earth is hollow at the North and South Poles and that it is habitable within.
Capt. Symmes died in 1829 at the age of 49 and was buried in Hamilton, Ohio. Later in the 1840’s when the burying ground was converted into a park, the graves were dug up and the bodies were moved to a new location, except for Capt. Symmes. Since Capt. Symmes came from a prominent family and quite famous for his crazy ideas, public leaders at that time decided to keep his grave. It was around the same time that his son erected the Hollow Earth Monument in honor of his father.
The odd monument is now one of the oldest public memorials in the U.S.
Where is it located?
454 S 3rd St, Hamilton, OH 45011
Click this link for the Google Map direction.
Is there a parking lot available?
There is no designated parking lot. However, there is plenty of free roadside parking available.
