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Eagle Creek Bridge, Oregon.
Upstream side.
Image taken September 16, 2006.
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Eagle Creek ...
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Eagle Creek is located on the Oregon side of the Columbia River at River Mile (RM) 150, at the upstream end of the Bonneville Dam. Eagle Creek was the location of the first U.S. Forest Service Campground, established in 1916. Today Eagle Creek is one of the most popular hikes in the Columbia Gorge. Located on the right bank of Eagle Creek is the Cascade Fish Hatchery.
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Eagle Creek Bridge, Oregon.
Downstream side.
Image taken June 29, 2005.
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Eagle Creek, looking upsream.
Image taken September 16, 2006.
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Historic Columbia River Highway Bridge ...
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The Eagle Creek Bridge was once part of the Historic Columbia River Highway (HCRH). Today the bridge, along with the Toothrock Tunnel located just downstream, is one of the few places of the HCRH being used by Interstate 84. The Eagle Creek Bridge part of the off-ramp from Interstate 84 heading east to the Cascade Fish Hatchery, Eagle Creek Campground, and various trailheads.
The concrete-arch bridge is faced with stone and was the only HRCH bridge to be built that way. A nice addition for weary early travelers is a "sitting area" built into the downstream side of the bridge. (For early views of the Eagle Creek Bridge see "The Golden Age of Postcards" below.)
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Stonework, Eagle Creek Bridge, Oregon.
Image taken June 29, 2005.
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Stonework, Eagle Creek Bridge, Oregon.
Image taken June 29, 2005.
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Bridge "Sitting Area" ...
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Towards sitting area, Eagle Creek Bridge, Oregon.
Downstream side.
Image taken September 16, 2006.
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Sitting area, Eagle Creek Bridge, Oregon.
Image taken September 16, 2006.
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Sitting area, Eagle Creek Bridge, Oregon.
Image taken September 16, 2006.
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Bench, Eagle Creek Bridge, Oregon.
Image taken September 16, 2006.
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Cascade Fish Hatchery ...
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The Cascade Fish Hatchery located on 3.8 acres on the right bank of Eagle Creek. It was built in 1959 as part of the Mitchell Act. The hatchery uses the waters of Eagle Creek for egg incubation and the rearing of Coho Salmon.
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Cascade Fish Hatchery from Eagle Creek Bridge, Oregon.
Image taken September 16, 2006.
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Cascade Fish Hatchery and the Eagle Creek Bridge, Oregon.
Image taken September 16, 2006.
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Fish Ladder, Cascade Fish Hatchery, Eagle Creek, Oregon.
Image taken September 16, 2006.
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Eagle Creek Camping Grounds ...
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The "Eagle Creek Camp and Picnic Ground" opened in July 1916 and was the first official U.S. Forest Service "developed campground" within the United States, having tables, flush toilets, a check-in station, and ranger station. The campground was located at what was then the end of the Columbia River Highway, and was popular with residents of Portland who now had the new fangled "automobile"
(See "The Golden Age of Postcards" below).
The Eagle Creek Camping Grounds were developed in cooperation with the Portland Chamber of Commerce and Progressive
Businessmen’s Club of Portland. At the same time the U.S. Forest Service built the scenic 13.5-mile Eagle Creek Trail, a trail designed specifically for recreation use. Between 1933 and 1942 the Eagle Creek Camping Grounds were further developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).
The Eagle Creek Campground was also the first campground to have a Forest Ranger on site.
Albert Wiesendanger and his wife lived in a tent during the camping season, and
he was reassigned to the Forest Service's Regional Office’s sign shop in Portland during
the winter.
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Eagle Creek Overlook ...
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The Eagle Creek Overlook was built by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) in 1937 to accommodate sightseers watching the construction of the Bonneville Dam. Good views can be had of Interstate 80, the Bonneville Dam, Beacon Rock, and Bradford Island.
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Eagle Creek Overlook, Eagle Creek, Oregon.
The Bonneville Dam and Beacon Rock can be seen in the background.
Image taken August 23, 2008.
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Bonneville Dam as seen from the mouth of Eagle Creek, Oregon.
View (left to right) of the Oregon shore, Locks, Robins Island, Powerhouse, and Bradford Island. Beacon Rock is in the distance in the background.
Image taken September 24, 2005.
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View from the mouth of Eagle Creek, Oregon.
Beacon Rock is in the distance in the background.
Image taken August 23, 2008.
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Bradford Island, with paddleboat, as seen from the Eagle Creek Overlook.
Image taken August 23, 2008.
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"The Golden Age of Postcards" ...
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The early 1900s was the "Golden Age of Postcards". The "Penny Postcard" became a popular way to send greetings to friends and family. Today the Penny Postcard has become an snapshot of history.
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Penny Postcard: Approach to Eagle Creek, Columbia River Highway, Oregon, ca.1920.
Penny Postcard, ca.1920, "Approach to Eagle Creek, Columbia River Highway, Oregon.". Published by Lipschuetz & Katz, Portland, Oregon. Card #388. In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Penny Postcard: "Detail", Approach to Eagle Creek, Columbia River Highway, Oregon, ca.1920.
Closein view of "detail" of card above.
Penny Postcard, ca.1920, "Approach to Eagle Creek, Columbia River Highway, Oregon.". Published by Lipschuetz & Katz, Portland, Oregon. Card #388. In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Penny Postcard: Eagle Creek Bridge, Eagle Creek, Oregon, ca.1920.
Penny Postcard, ca.1920, "Eagle Creek Bridge, Columbia River Highway, Oregon.".
Caption on back reads: "Bridge across Eagle Creek. Over 60 feet in leength, of Italian dry cement construction with a wonderfully graceful arch through which dashes pell-mell the riotous cold, clear waters of Eagle Creek. This is one of the most beautiful of all the bridges on the Columbia River Highway.".
Published by Wesley Andrews, Inc., Portland, Oregon. Card #813.
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Penny Postcard: Eagle Creek and Bridge, Eagle Creek, Oregon, ca.1923.
Penny Postcard, Postmarked 1923, "Eagle Creek and Highway Bridge, Columbia River Highway, Oregon.". Published by Chas. L. Lipschuetz Company., Portland, Oregon. Card #338. In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Penny Postcard: Eagle Creek Camping Grounds on the Columbia River Highway, ca.1920.
Penny Postcard, ca.1920, "Eagle Creek Camping Grounds on the Columbia River Highway, Ore.". Eagle Creek Camping Grounds are the first U.S. Forest Service Camp Ground in the Columbia River Gorge. Published by The Oregon News Co., Portland, Oregon. Card #21.
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Penny Postcard: Eagle Creek Trail, ca.1920.
Penny Postcard, ca.1920, "Hitting the Trail up Eagle Creek Canyon, from Columbia River Highway, Ore.". Published by The Oregon News Co., Portland, Oregon. Card #8225. In the private collection of Lyn Topinka. |
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Penny Postcard: Columbia River Highway at Eagle Creek, looking west, ca.1920.
Penny Postcard, ca.1920, "Columbia River Highway, looking west from Eagle Creek.". Part of the caption on back reads: "This is another magnificent view from the highway, looking west from Eagle Creek at Tooth Mountain and showing Bridge of the Gods in the distance ...". Image copyright Weister Co. Published by Lipschuetz & Katz, Portland, Oregon. In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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