Thursday, December 31, 2020

The Trail...


 The settlers went around the south side of Mt. Hood to get to the Willamette Valley.  This picture shows the tree line where the forest turns into high desert.

Sunday, December 27, 2020

Sunday, December 20, 2020

Thursday, December 17, 2020

Monday, December 14, 2020

Sunday, December 13, 2020

In 1926 this monument was created in Wishram to honor the mountain men, explorers, and other pioneers who traveled on the Columbia.


 

I am not related directly to any of these pioneers, but James Nesmith, a cousin to one of my great-great grandfathers, is listed second from the bottom on the right.



Saturday, December 12, 2020

Further west, we get to Wishram-- about 500 people living near the BNSF switch yard and Amtrak station.

 

 

The Oregon Trunk Line Railroad Bridge was built in 1912 over Celilo Falls, where Native Americans from both sides of the river and as far away as the Rocky Mountains traded with others from as far away as the Pacific shore.  As many as 3000 people would congregate here. 

The 1914 postcard below shows the bridge with a train crossing long before the falls were flooded by the dam at The Dalles.  The bridge was raised to a higher level and a section was added to allow Maritime traffic to pass.




Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Saturday, December 5, 2020

Inside the circle--- Maryhill's Stonehenge, dedicated 102 years ago...


 The Columbia River is visible through the portal on the left.

Thursday, December 3, 2020

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Maryhill, Washington, and Biggs, Oregon...


Heading West along the Columbia River, we come to Maryhill, Washington (this side), where the Sam Hill Memorial Bridge crosses over to Biggs, Oregon. You can see the little ribbon that is Highway 97 headed South in the upper right hand corner. Hill was a Railroad icon and Maryhill is named for both his wife and his daughter. Orchards and vinyards do very well close to the river. Interstate 84 is the freeway along the Oregon side.