The Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River Gorge, and the mighty river that flows through it, remained shrouded in mystery and known only to the native peoples of the Pacific Northwest for thousands of years. The river was first officially “discovered” by white man in 1792, when Captain Robert Gray, a Bostonian, entered the river and named it after his ship, the “Columbia Rediviva”: soon the mouth of the river became a major trading centre, especially for otter and beaver pelts.
Further upstream however remained a mystery until 1805, when the Lewis and Clark were sent by Thomas Jefferson to explore the Northwest, find a convenient route between the Missouri and Columbia rivers and to help establish the US claim to disputed territories. The expedition was soon followed by scores of explorers, missionaries and later settlers, whose presence forever changed the nature of the Northwest.
Transportation networks have always played an important part in the development and settlement of the Gorge, which was plagued by innumerable obstacles such as insurmountable mountains and treacherous rapids. Early transportation was done by foot and water, as the native tribes had done for generations, however the great Cascades were such a problem that portage was needed and the first roads and rails appeared. Steamboats later dominated travel in the Gorge, transforming it into a busy commercial highway, until the 1880s when the first railroad appeared, finally providing a safe, efficient land route through the Gorge. River traffic such as ours would not resurge until the dams and locks we have been traveling through this week were built between the 1930s and 70s.
In the early twentieth century, people became aware of the need for better roads in the area, and an influential railroad attorney named Sam Hill became obsessed with building the most beautiful road the world had ever seen, similar to the roads of Europe and making the absolute best of the spectacular, unparalleled beauty of the Columbia River Gorge. He hired the famous engineer Sam Lancaster, secured necessary funds from people on the Oregon side of the Gorge, and began in 1913. It was completed in less than two years, connecting Portland with Hood River, and became the first major paved road in the Northwest. With its stone bridges, tunnels, Italian masonry and wonderful setting, in soon became renowned as a “Poem in Stone”.
Today only about a third of this architectonic wonder is still in use, the rest having been destroyed or abandoned in favor of the more efficient modern highways. The five miles of highly scenic abandoned roadway between Mosier and Hood River are now a National Historic Landmark, and make a wonderful place for hiking or cycling. After visiting the Columbia Gorge Discovery Centre, many of us visited this place, and either strolled or rode our bikes in the beautiful sunshine, soaking in the awe-inspiring views of one of the world’s most famous gorges.
The Columbia River Gorge, and the mighty river that flows through it, remained shrouded in mystery and known only to the native peoples of the Pacific Northwest for thousands of years. The river was first officially “discovered” by white man in 1792, when Captain Robert Gray, a Bostonian, entered the river and named it after his ship, the “Columbia Rediviva”: soon the mouth of the river became a major trading centre, especially for otter and beaver pelts.
Further upstream however remained a mystery until 1805, when the Lewis and Clark were sent by Thomas Jefferson to explore the Northwest, find a convenient route between the Missouri and Columbia rivers and to help establish the US claim to disputed territories. The expedition was soon followed by scores of explorers, missionaries and later settlers, whose presence forever changed the nature of the Northwest.
Transportation networks have always played an important part in the development and settlement of the Gorge, which was plagued by innumerable obstacles such as insurmountable mountains and treacherous rapids. Early transportation was done by foot and water, as the native tribes had done for generations, however the great Cascades were such a problem that portage was needed and the first roads and rails appeared. Steamboats later dominated travel in the Gorge, transforming it into a busy commercial highway, until the 1880s when the first railroad appeared, finally providing a safe, efficient land route through the Gorge. River traffic such as ours would not resurge until the dams and locks we have been traveling through this week were built between the 1930s and 70s.
In the early twentieth century, people became aware of the need for better roads in the area, and an influential railroad attorney named Sam Hill became obsessed with building the most beautiful road the world had ever seen, similar to the roads of Europe and making the absolute best of the spectacular, unparalleled beauty of the Columbia River Gorge. He hired the famous engineer Sam Lancaster, secured necessary funds from people on the Oregon side of the Gorge, and began in 1913. It was completed in less than two years, connecting Portland with Hood River, and became the first major paved road in the Northwest. With its stone bridges, tunnels, Italian masonry and wonderful setting, in soon became renowned as a “Poem in Stone”.
Today only about a third of this architectonic wonder is still in use, the rest having been destroyed or abandoned in favor of the more efficient modern highways. The five miles of highly scenic abandoned roadway between Mosier and Hood River are now a National Historic Landmark, and make a wonderful place for hiking or cycling. After visiting the Columbia Gorge Discovery Centre, many of us visited this place, and either strolled or rode our bikes in the beautiful sunshine, soaking in the awe-inspiring views of one of the world’s most famous gorges.
