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Latourell Falls, Oregon.
Image taken March 22, 2009.
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Latourell Falls ...
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Latourell Falls plunges 249 feet, and is one of many falls in the Columbia River Gorge located off the Historic Columbia River Highway, in Oregon's Guy W. Talbot State Park. The falls is on Latourell Creek and was named after Joseph Latourell, a prominent Columbia River Gorge settler. The falls itself was located on the property of Guy W. Talbot of Portland, who, in 1929, donated 220 acres of property to the State of Oregon.
Latourelle Falls is located at Columbia River Mile (RM) 130, approximately one mile downstream of Shepperds Dell and one mile upstream of Crown Point and Rooster Rock. Latourell Creek merges with Youngs Creek (Shepperds Dell) in the Rooster Rock State Park, turns downsteam into Mirror Lake, and enters the Columbia River at RM 129, at the boat dock at Rooster Rock.
Multnomah Falls is located another 6 miles upsteam.
The area is downstream of Bridal Veil and the Pillars of Hercules. Across the Columbia on the Washington side is Cape Horn.
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Views of the Falls and Pool ...
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Latourell Falls, Oregon.
Image taken June 27, 2004.
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Latourell Falls, Oregon.
Image taken August 27, 2005.
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Latourell Falls, Oregon.
Image taken August 27, 2005.
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Latourell Falls, Oregon.
Image taken August 27, 2005.
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Latourell(e) in 1940 ...
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From the Oregon State Archives "A 1940 Journey Across Oregon":
"... LATOURELLE FALLS, 164.9 m., take a sheer drop of 224 feet into a pool at the base of an overhanging cliff. LATOURELLE BRIDGE was so placed as to give the best view of the falling waters.
..."
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Latourell Falls as seen from Historic Columbia River Highway Bridge across Latourell Creek.
Image taken June 27, 2004.
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Youngs Creek and Latourell Creek ...
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Youngs Creek and Latourell Creek meander through the flats of Rooster Rock State Park. Youngs Creek, once leaving the Shepperd's Dell area, flows westward through Rooster Rock State Park, where it merges with Latourell Creek and forms Mirror Lake, which then merges with the Columbia River just below Rooster Rock.
Various spellings of Latourell Creek have existed over the years including "Latourelle Creek", "Latourelle Falls Creek", and "Laxourell Creek".
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Rooster Rock State Park, Oregon, and Youngs and Latourell Creeks.
From Crown Point looking upstream at Rooster Rock State Park. Latourell Creek (right) and Youngs Creek (left) meander through the foreground. Shepperds Dell is to the right off of Youngs Creek.
Youngs Creek, once leaving the Shepperd's Dell area, flows westward through Rooster Rock State Park, where it merges with Latourell Creek and forms Mirror Lake, which then merges with the Columbia River just below Rooster Rock.
Image taken October 10, 2004.
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Early Latourell Falls ...
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"Latourell Falls" was the original Post Office name of the small community located near Latourell Falls, while the railway station near the Columbia River was named "Latourell".
According to Oregon Geographic Names (McArthur and McArthur, 2003):
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"Rooster Rock was the name of the first post office in this vicinity. It was established in May 1876 with John Gilstrap postmaster and was named for the natural feature nearby. Joseph Latourell became postmaster in August 1876, and the name was changed to Latourell Falls in August 1887. The office was closed in September 1964. The compiler does not know if the office was moved when the name was changed."
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management's General Land Office Records (GLO) Website (2007) shows Joseph Latourell being granted title to 160 acres of T1N R5E Sections 29 and 30, on February 1, 1875, under the 1862 Homestead Entry Original. This location plots just west of today's community of Latourell.
The General Land Office Records also show other Latourells being granted title in the area.
Henry A. Latourell was granted title to 120 acres of T1N R5E Section 30, on December 19, 1885, under the 1862 Homestead Entry Original. He was also granted title to 40 acres of T1N R5E Section 31, on August 27, 1898, under the 1862 Homestead Entry Original.
Mason E. Latourell was granted title to 40 acres of T1N R5E Section 32, on February 12, 1892, under the 1820 Sale-Cash Entry, and he was granted title to 160 acres of T1N R5E Section 24, on June 11, 1897, under the 1862 Homestead Entry Original.
Joseph C. Latourell being granted title to 160 acres of T1N R5E Section 29, on June 28, 1895, under the 1862 Homestead Entry Original.
The U.S. Board of Geographic Names made "Latourell Falls" the official spelling in 1915. Another spelling in use was "Latourelle Falls".
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Latourell Falls, Oregon, as seen from the Historic Columbia River Highway.
Image taken March 22, 2009.
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Historic Columbia River Highway Bridge ...
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Historic Columbia River Highway at Latourell Falls, Oregon.
Image taken March 22, 2009.
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Historic Columbia River Highway Bridge at Latourell Falls, Oregon.
Image taken March 22, 2009.
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MORE Latourell Bridge ...
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Historic Columbia River Highway Bridge across Latourell Creek.
Image taken June 27, 2004.
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From underneath th Historic Columbia River Highway Bridge across Latourell Creek.
Image taken June 27, 2004.
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For a brief three months in 1914, a "roadhouse" existed at Latourell Falls, catering to the early traveler along the newly developed Columbia River Highway. The owner of the establishment, Mrs. Henderson, had been part owner in the Chanticleer Inn, located downstream, and had left to establish her own eatery. After being open only three months the Latourell Falls Chalet burned, leaving nothing behind. According to the "PDXHistory.com" website (2006):
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"...
Leaving the Chanticleer Inn to have her own eating establishment, Mrs. Henderson built the short-lived Latourell Falls Chalet in 1914 and it was an immediate success. Unfortunately, it burned just three months after opening and she lost everything, including a fine library and handcrafted furniture. With her ambitious spirit and strong determination, Mrs. Henderson, or Bidy, as she was called, set out almost immediately to build again. Bidy enlisted the help of many of Portland’s prominent businessmen, who bought $20 dinner books. This time, she chose a spot overlooking picturesque Crown Point and christened the new establishment The Crown Point Chalet. ..."
["PDXHistory.com" Website, 2006]
Riddell, H.H., 1914, "The Columbia River Highway": IN:
Mazama, December 1914, vol.IV, no.3.
[... p.83-84]
"... At Latourelle a concrete bridge across the gorge of Latourelle Creek
brings the traveler to Falls chalet, a unique hostelry set on the edge of
the all but perpendicular bank and but a few rods from the wierdly
beautiful Falls of Latourelle Creek, that here drop a hundred feet or more
in one sheer leap, dashing in spray on the rocks at the bottom. Here one
may find such food and shelter as he perhaps has dreamed of but has seldom
experienced. It is but a short distance on the Shephards Dell, a rock
girt chasm down which dashes a stream. here a concrete arch one hundred
feet long spans the dell, one hundred and twenty feet from its bottom.
Then the roadway skirts the base of some cliffs of columnar basalt that
have been arcaded so that the overhang of the cliffs is over the center of
the road. A little further, and Bridal Veil with its falls, flumes and
mill, lies under the road. ..."
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In 1916 another roadhouse, "Maffett's Villa", also known as "Latourell Villa" or "Falls Villa", opened in the Latourell area. The structure was torn down in 1959.
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Guy W. Talbot State Park ...
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Guy Webster Talbot and his family used the area of Latourell Falls as a summer estate until early 1929 when they donated 220 acres to the state of Oregon.
Today, this property is the Guy W. Talbot State Park, a beautiful picnic park with a modern picnic shelter, a gently sloping grassy hill dotted with Port Orford cedars, Douglas firs, alders and maples, and a trailhead underneath the
Historic Columbia River Highway Bridge to Latourell Falls.
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George W. Joseph State Natural Area ...
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In 1934, the heirs of George W. Joseph, gave the State of Oregon property for a park on the upper part of Latourell Creek, a spot today known as the George W. Joseph State Natural Area. Access to the area is the trail from Latourell Falls and Guy W. Talbot State Park. A trail leads from the parking lot to the top of Latourell Falls (pictures above). Beyond this point the State Natural Area begins. The trail continues to Upper Latourell Falls.
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"The Golden Age of Postcards" ...
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The early 1900s was the "Golden Age of Postcards", with the "Penny Postcard" being a popular way to send greetings to family and friends.
Today the Penny Postcard is a snapshot of history.
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Penny Postcard: Latourell Falls, ca.1910.
Penny Postcard, ca.1910, "Latourell Falls. A Sheer Drop of 225 feet. Visible from Columbia River Highway, Oregon.". Caption on back reads: "Beautiful Latourell Falls on Columbia River Highway has a sheer drop of 225 feet. Published by Angelus Commercial Studio, Portland, Oregon. Card #16.
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Penny Postcard: Columbia River Highway, east of Latourell, Oregon, ca.1910.
Penny Postcard, ca.1910, "Columbia River Highway east of Latourelle, near Portland, Ore.". Published by The Oregon News Company, Portland, Oregon. Card is postmarked August 28, 1916. Card #8001.
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Penny Postcard: Latourell Bridge, looking towards Crown Point, ca.1920.
Penny Postcard, ca.1920, "Latourelle Bridge Looking Toward Crown Point, Columbia River Highway, Oregon.".
Published by Chas. S. Lipschuetz Company, Portland, Oregon.
Card #303.
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Penny Postcard: Foot Bridge across Columbia River Highway, at Latourelle Falls, ca.1920.
Penny Postcard, ca.1920, "Foot Bridge Over Highway Near Latourelle Falls.". Caption on back reads: "Artistic Foot Bridge. Over the Columbia River Highway neaar Latourelle Falls connecting the two parts of a country estate through which the right of way of the Highway runs. Care has been taken in this, as in all other matters connected with the highway, to preserve artistic walues.". Image copyright Weister Co. Published by Chas. S. Lipschuetz Company, Portland, Oregon. Card #358.
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, November 2, 1805 ...
Examined the rapid below us [from their camp at Fort Rains, looking at the Cascade Rapids] more pertcelarly the danger appearing too great to Hazzard our Canoes loaded, dispatched all the men who could not Swim with loads to the end of the portage below, I also walked to the end of the portage with the carriers where I delayed untill everry articles was brought over and canoes arrived Safe. here we brackfast and took a Meridn. altitude 59° 45' 45" about the time we were Setting out 7 Squars came over loaded with Dried fish, and bear grass neetly bundled up, Soon after 4 Indian men came down over the rapid in a large canoe.
passed a rapid at 2 miles & 1 at 4 miles opposite the lower point of a high Island on the Lard Side [Bradford Island], and a little below 4 Houses on the Stard. Bank, a Small Creek on the Lard Side [Tanner Creek] opposit Straw berry Island [Hamilton Island], which heads below the last rapid, opposit the lower point of this Island [Hamilton Island] passed three Islands covered with tall timber [today there are two, Ives and Pierce] opposit the Beatin rock [Beacon Rock]
Those Islands are nearest the Starboard Side, imediately below on the Stard. Side passed a village of nine houses [Skamania and Skamania Landing], which is Situated between 2 Small Creeks [Woodward Creek and Duncan Creek], and are of the Same construction of those above; here the river widens to near a mile, and the bottoms are more extensive and thickly timbered, as also the high mountains on each Side, with Pine, Spruce pine, Cotton wood, a Species of ash, and alder. at 17 miles passed a rock near the middle of the river [Phoca Rock], about 100 feet high and 80 feet Diamuter,
proceed on down a Smoth gentle Stream of about 2 miles wide, in which the tide has its effect as high as the Beaten rock [Beacon Rock] or the Last rapids at Strawberry Island [Hamilton Island],- Saw great numbers of waterfowl of Different kinds, Such as Swan, Geese, white & grey brants, ducks of various kinds, Guls, & Pleaver [today just below Beacon Rock is Franz National Wildlife Refuge]. ...
we encamped under a high projecting rock on the Lard. Side [Rooster Rock, with Crown Point rising above it], here the mountains leave the river on each Side
[leaving the Columbia River Gorge, Steigerwald Land NWR is on the north and the Sandy River delta is on the south],
which from the great Shute to this place is high and rugid [Columbia River Gorge]; thickly Covered with timber principalley of the Pine Species. The bottoms below appear extensive and thickly Covered with wood. river here about 2½ miles wide. Seven Indians in a Canoe on their way down to trade with the nativs below, encamp with us, those we left at the portage passed us this evening and proceeded on down The ebb tide rose here about 9 Inches, the flood tide must rise here much higher- we made 29 miles to day from the Great Shute [Cascade Locks]-
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