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Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken November 4, 2004.
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Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center ...
The Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, located on the western edge of Rock Cove, is the nonprofit museum of the Skamania County Historical Society, and is dedicated to preserving, exhibiting and interpreting the cultural and natural history of the Columbia River Gorge. The center is located on Rock Creek Drive, in Stevenson, Washington.
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Some of the Exhibits ... (alphabetical)
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"Bailey Gatzert", Columbia River Sternwheeler ...
While built in 1890, it wasn't until 1892 that the steamer "Bailey Gatzert" arrived on the Columbia River. The "Bailey Gatzert" was the first steamer built to carry passengers, as previous steamers going up and down the Columbia River Gorge area were primarily built for carrying freight. During the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition, the "Bailey Gatzert" made twice-daily runs from Portland to Cascade Locks. A model of the "Bailey Gatzert", plus her name board, whistle, and pilot wheel can be seen at the museum.
[More Steamboats and Sternwheelers of the Columbia River]
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Exhibit, Name board of the "Bailey Gatzert", sternwheeler on the Columbia.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Exhibit, Model of the "Bailey Gatzert", sternwheeler on the Columbia.
The "Bailey Gatzert's" pilot wheel can be seen in the background.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Exhibit, Poster of the "Bailey Gatzert", sternwheeler on the Columbia.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Birds of Lewis and Clark ...
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Woodcarvings by the Feather & Quill Carvers of Vancouver, Washington, created for the Bicentennial Commemoration of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
[More Birds of Lewis and Clark]
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Carving, Common Raven, Birds of Lewis and Clark exhibit.
Black-billed Magpie is also shown.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
Information sign,
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Carving, Mountain Quail, Birds of Lewis and Clark exhibit.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Blockhouses ...
Throughout history four different forts or blockhouses existed along a rough stretch of the Columbia River Gorge between Hamilton Island and Cascades Locks, an area known as the "Cascade Rapids". The first fort was Fort Gilliam, was established in 1848. It was located at the portage and used as a supply depot. Next came Fort Cascades, built in 1855 at the lower end of the rapids. It was built to defend the portage. Next came Fort Rains, located at the lower end of the portage around the "Upper Cascades". The last fort built was Fort Lugenbeel, located at the upper end of the Cascade Rapids section. Today, Fort Rains and Fort Lugenbeel, and the earlier Fort Gilliam, exist only as archaeological sites on present U.S. Army Corp of Engineer land. The location of Fort Cascades can be seen on the interpretive trail at the Fort Cascades Historic Site on Hamilton Island.
[More Blockhouses (Forts) of the Cascade Rapids]
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Model, Fort Cascades.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
Information sign,
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Model, Fort Rains, Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
Information sign,
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Model, Fort Lugenbeel.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
Information sign,
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Broughton Log Flume ...
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Section of the Broughton Log Flume.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
Information sign,
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Section of the Broughton Log Flume.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Cape Horn Winery ...
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The Cape Horn Winery was located at the west end of Skamania County in the community of Cape Horn. This bottle is the only known bottle to still exist, ca.1936.
[More Cape Horn]
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Bottle, Blackberry Wine, Cape Horn Winery exhibit.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
Information sign,
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Clahclehlah Village ...
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Located in the vicinity of today's North Bonneville, Washington, Lewis and Clark made mention of this village in their journals, both on the downstream journey (October 31, 1805) and on their return (April 10, 1806). They stopped at the village for breakfast on April 10th.
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Model, Clahclehlah Village exhibit.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
Information sign,
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Donkey Engine ...
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Built by the Washington Iron Works, Seattle.
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Model, Donkey Engine exhibit.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Model, Donkey Engine exhibit.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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"Eva Jane", Ferry boat, Stevenson to Cascade Locks ...
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Exhibit, Pilot wheel of the ferry "Eva Jane".
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
Information sign,
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Hudson's Bay Company's (HBC) "Mystery Rock" ...
From the "mystery rock" information sign:
"In 1923 a road crew pulled the Skamania County "mystery rock" from the Government Slide near the Cascades. For decades the stone stood near the entrance to Stevenson High School. Its inscription -- "HBCo[y] 1811" -- remained unexplained. Retired attorney David Swart, a man deeply interested in the early fur trade, believes the stone marks the expedition of Joseph Howse. In 1810-11 Howse led a party of seventeen men across the Rockies and descended the Columbia River to at least this point more than six months before the well-known explorer David Thompson. Unfortunately neither Howse's journal nor letters written by him were preserved; Thompson's survived."
[More Hudson's Bay Company]
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Exhibit, Hudson's Bay Company's (HBC) "Mystery Rock".
Rock is behind glass showcase.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
Information sign,
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Exhibit, Enhanced image of "H B C 1811", Hudson's Bay Company's (HBC) "Mystery Rock".
Rock is behind glass showcase.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Jefferson Peace Medal ...
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Reverse, Jefferson Peace Medal replica, Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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McCord Fishwheel Replica ...
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The McCord Fishwheel located in the Center's main exhibit room is a replica of the McCord wheel built in 1882 on the south side of Bradford Island, the third one built on the Columbia. This wheel was soon joined by seventy-plus more built on both banks of the river from The Dalles to North Bonneville.
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Exhibit, McCord FIshwheel.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
Information sign,
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Exhibit, McCord FIshwheel.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Exhibit, McCord FIshwheel.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Exhibit, McCord Fishwheel photograph.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Petroglyphs ...
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Columbia River Petroglyphs, donors: Richard and Marilynn Weaver, Stevenson, Washington.
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Exhibit, petroglyphs.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Quilt ... 1880 Embroidered Quilt ...
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"1880. Embroidered Quilt. Original design made by the mother of the doners, Johanah Kanikkeberg Wineberg. She married John P. Wineberg in 1900 and they raised their family in Stevenson. Note no two squares are alike. It was converted to a bedspread in 1972. Donors: Anah, Helen, and William Wineberg. Acc#1977:23."
[Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center exhibit, July 15, 2011]
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1880 embroidered quilt.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
Information sign,
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1880 embroidered quilt.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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1880 embroidered quilt.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Quilts ... U.S. Bi-centennial and Washington State Centennial ...
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U.S. Bi-centennial and Washington State Centennial Quilts.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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U.S. Bi-centennial Quilt.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Quilt block, Bailey Gatzert, U.S. Bi-centennial Quilt.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Quilt block, fishwheel on the Columbia, U.S. Bi-centennial Quilt.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Washington State Centennial Quilt.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Quilt block, Mount St. Helens and Spirit Lake.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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SP&S Engine 802 and SP&S Caboose 701 ...
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle (SP&S) Engine 802 and SP&S Caboose 701 can be seen outside of the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center museum building.
[More Trains and Tracks]
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Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
SP&S Engine 802 and SP&S Caboose 701 can be seen outside of the museum building.
View from Washington State Highway 14.
Image taken June 19, 2005.
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SP&S Engine 802 and SP&S Caboose 701.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
Information sign,
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SP&S Engine 802.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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SP&S Engine 802.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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SP&S Engine 802.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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SP&S Caboose 701.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Warren Salmon Cannery, Warrendale ...
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By 1881, thirty-five salmon canneries had been established on the Columbia River. One of these canneries was built by Frank Warren at Warrendale, Oregon.
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Warren Salmon Cannery, Warrendale, Oregon.
Image shows two steamships, the "Dalles City" and the "Tahoma" docking at the Warren Cannery docks.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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WWII Pill Box ...
Several pill boxes like this one dotted the Bonneville Dam site during WWII. They were manned by armed U.S. Army guards while U.S. Coast Guard patrolled the river above and below the Dam. Bonneville Dam was considered at high risk, a likely target for enemy saboteurs, since it powered the shipyards in Portland, Oregon, ca.1940. The Pillbox on display outside the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center museum building was donated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
[More]
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WWII Pillbox.
Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
Information sign,
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, October 30, 1805 ...
A cool morning, a moderate rain all the last night, after eating a partial brackfast of venison we Set out [from their camp near Drano Lake and the Little White Salmon River]
passed Several places where the rocks projected into the river & have the appearance of haveing Seperated from the mountains and fallen promiscuisly into the river, Small nitches are formed in the banks below those projecting rocks which is comon in this part of the river, Saw 4 Cascades caused by Small Streams falling from the mountains on the Lard. Side,
[The possiblities in a two-mile area are - upstream to downstream -
Starvation Creek and Falls,
the seasonal Cabin Creek and Falls,
Warren Creek and Falls,
Wonder Creek and Lancaster Falls,
Lindsey Creek and Falls, and
Summit Creek and Falls.]
a remarkable circumstance in this part of the river is, the Stumps of pine trees [Submerged Forest]
[The Submerged Forest existed along the reach from above Dog Mountain/Viento Creek on the upstream edge and Wind Mountain/Shellrock Mountain on the downstream edge.]
are in maney places are at Some distance in the river, and gives every appearance of the rivers being damed up below from Some cause which I am not at this time acquainted with [Bonneville Landslide],
the Current of the river is also verry jentle not exceeding 1½ mile pr. hour and about ¾ of a mile in width. Some rain, we landed above the mouth of a Small river on the Stard. Side [Wind River] and Dined ... :
here the river widens to about one mile large Sand bar in the middle, a Great [rock] both in and out of the water, large <round> Stones, or rocks are also permiscuisly Scattered about in the river,
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The bottoms above the mouth of this little river [Wind River] <which we Call> is rich covered with grass & firn & is about ¾ of a mile wide rich and rises gradually, below the river (which is 60 yards wide above its mouth) the Countery rises with Steep assent. we call this little river <fr Ash> New Timbered river from a Speces of Ash <that wood> which grows on its banks of a verry large and different from any we had before Seen, and a timber resembling the beech in bark <& groth> but different in its leaf which is Smaller and the tree smaller. passed maney large rocks in the river and a large creek on the Stard. Side in the mouth of which is an Island [Rock Creek near Stevenson, Washington], passed on the right of 3 Islands <on> near the Stard. Side, and landed on an Island close under the Stard. Side at the head of the great Shute [head of the Cascades Rapids], and a little below a village of 8 large houses on a Deep bend on the Stard. Side, and opposit 2 Small Islands imediately in the head of the Shute, which Islands are covered with Pine, maney large rocks also, in the head of the Shute. Ponds back of the houses, and Countrey low for a Short distance. The day proved Cloudy dark and disagreeable with Some rain all day which kept us wet. The Countary a high mountain on each Side thickly Covered with timber, Such as Spruc, Pine, Cedar, Oake Cotton &c. &c. I took two men and walked down three miles to examine the Shute and river below proceeded along an old Indian path, passd. an old village at 1 mile ...
I found by examonation that we must make a portage of the greater perpotion of our Stores 2½ miles, and the Canoes we Could haul over the rocks, I returned at Dark
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a wet disagreeable evening, the only wood we could get to burn on this little Island on which we have encamped [near Ashes Lake, the island is now under the waters of the Bonneville Reservoir. Ashes Lake was near the head of the Cascade Rapids. Across from Ashes Lake is Cascade Locks, Oregon.] is the newly discovered Ash, which makes a tolerable fire. we made fifteen miles to daye
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Clark, April 13, 1806 ...
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The loss of one of our large Canoes rendered it necessary to divide the loading and men of that Canoe between the remaining four, which was done and we loaded and Set out at 8 oClock A. M. [from their camp near Ashes Lake]
passed the village imediately above the rapids where only one house remains entire the other 8 haveing been taken down and moved to the opposit Side of the Columbia
[downstream of Rock Creek and Stevenson, Washington] ...
Capt. Lewis with 2 of the Smallest Canoes of Sergt. Pryor & gibson and Crossed above the Rapids [Cascade Rapids] to the Village on the S E Side [east of Cascade Locks] with a view to purchase a Canoe of the nativs if possible.
...
I with the two large Canoes proceeded on up the N. W. Side with the intention of gitting to the Encampment of our hunters who was derected to hunt in the bottom above Crusats River [Wind River], and there wait the arrival of Capt. Lewis. I proceeded on to the bottom in which I expected to find the hunters but Could See nothing of them. the wind rose and raised the wavs to Such a hight that I could not proceed any further. we landed and I sent out Shields and Colter to hunt; Shields Shot two deer but Could get neither of them. I walkd. to Crusats river [Wind River] and up it ½ a mile on my return to the party found that the wind had lulled and as we Could See nothing of our hunters. I deturmined to proceed on to the next bottom where I thought it probable they had halted at ½ passed 2 P M Set out and proceeded on to the bottom 6 miles and halted at the next bottom formed a Camp and Sent out all the hunters [near Dog Mountain, between Collins Creek and Dog Creek]. I also walked out my self on the hills but saw nothing. on my return found Capt. Lewis at Camp with two canoes which he had purchased at the Y-ep-huh ...
I was convinced that the hunters must have been up River Cruzatt [Wind River]. despatched Sergt. Pryor with 2 men in a Canoe, with directions to assend Crusats River [Wind River] and if he found the hunters to assist them in with the meat. Jo: Shields returned about Sunset with two deer which he had killed, those were of the Black tail fallow Deer. <the> there appears to be no other Species of Deer in those mountains. We proceeded on 12 miles.
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