AlanLichty
Moderator
Before the Columbia River was placed under H.Sap supervision there were some major impediments to water travel on the river due to 2 major sets of rapids - the ones at Celilo Falls near The Dalles and the Cascade Rapids near the modern town of Cascade Locks. Flat bottomed paddle wheelers could easily ply the waters from Astoria to the base of the Cascade Rapids along with the flatwater between the Cascade Rapids and Celilo Falls but they could not get past the rapids until the Cascade Locks were built in the 1890s. There were 3 tiers in the locks that could lift river boats up to the height of the river upstream or downstream depending on the direction of travel. The locks were used extensively up until this portion of the river was submerged in the water behind the Bonneville Dam a few miles downstream.
This is a 3 shot panorama from the same aerial perch as the bridge shots I posted yesterday showing the portions of the Cascade Locks that didn't get covered as a result of the Bonneville Dam with the town of Cascade Locks visible on the right while the Washington community of Stevenson is visible on the left across the river. Only the top tier of the locks is visible now. The small peninsula is called Thunder Island and is part of a modern day park.
In a Wikipedia article on the locks there is a postcard image depicting a river boat using the locks in the 1920's that also shows the rapids in the background behind the berm of Thunder Island. Even though the modern height of the river looks benign the rocks of the rapids aren't all that far under the surface.
C&C always welcome.
This is a 3 shot panorama from the same aerial perch as the bridge shots I posted yesterday showing the portions of the Cascade Locks that didn't get covered as a result of the Bonneville Dam with the town of Cascade Locks visible on the right while the Washington community of Stevenson is visible on the left across the river. Only the top tier of the locks is visible now. The small peninsula is called Thunder Island and is part of a modern day park.
In a Wikipedia article on the locks there is a postcard image depicting a river boat using the locks in the 1920's that also shows the rapids in the background behind the berm of Thunder Island. Even though the modern height of the river looks benign the rocks of the rapids aren't all that far under the surface.
C&C always welcome.
