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Welcome sign, North Bonneville, Washington.
Image taken August 22, 2011.
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North Bonneville ...
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North Bonneville, Washington, is located on the northeast side of Hamilton Island at Columbia River Mile (RM) 146, just downstream of the Bonneville Dam. Across the river on the Oregon side is the community of Bonneville.
North Bonneville came into existence in 1933 with the development of the Bonneville Dam, and was re-located in the 1970s with construction of Bonneville's North Powerhouse.
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Murals ...
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Blockhouse Mural, North Bonneville, Washington.
Image taken January 3, 2012.
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Sternwheeler Mural, North Bonneville, Washington.
The basalts of Cape Horn are in the background.
Image taken January 3, 2012.
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North Bonneville History ...
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North Bonneville is located on the site of the former community of Cascades, also known as "Lower Cascades". The community of Lower Cascades, which was at one time was the largest town in the Washington Territory and an important steamboat stop and terminus of the portage road. Slightly downstream was located the military defense post Fort Cascades, built in 1855 to guard the
portage road around the Cascade Rapids.
Lower Cascades was also at one time home of the Skamania County government.
Both the town of Lower Cascades and the post Fort Cascades were destroyed during the
Great Flood of 1894. They were never rebuilt.
According to the Skamania County Chamber of Commerce website (2004):
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"Following the 1894 flood, a small community continued to exist and it sprang back to life as North Bonneville in 1933 when work began on Bonneville Dam, the first hydroelectric
dam on the Columbia River. North Bonneville was a spontaneously assembled community, built with whatever materials were available and put together in a rush to meet the needs of construction workers arriving by the hundreds in the area. When the Bonneville Project was completed in 1938, the town remained. The town was incorporated in 1935.
Construction of a second powerhouse at Bonneville Dam began in the mid-1970's. The site of the new powerhouse covered over 90 percent of the town of North Bonneville. The town was relocated west of the old town on Hamilton Island and south of Greenleaf Slough. Site selection and design for the new North Bonneville were a result of intensive multi-disciplinary planning. The new town was dedicated in 1978."
Today North Bonneville can be reached from an exit off of Washington State Highway 14.
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Penny Postcard: North Bonneville, Washington, ca.1951
Penny Postcard, Postmarked 1951, "North Bonneville, Wash.".
Christian, W-1184.
Divided back.
Postmarked date August 17, 1951, from North Bonneville, Wash.
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Captain Bonneville ...
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Bonneville, Oregon, Bonneville Dam, and North Bonneville, Washington, were named after
Captain (later Brig. General) Benjamin L.E. Bonneville, a West Point graduate who explored the west from 1832 to 1835, visiting many parts of Oregon. Bonneville Post Office, Oregon, was established in 1900, and the railway along the Columbia maintained a Bonneville Station for many years.
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North Bonneville Archeological District ...
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In 1987, the North Bonneville Archeological District was added to the National Register of Historic Places (District -
#87000498), location not disclosed, for its
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"... Information Potential;
Area of Significance: Industry, Prehistoric, Historic - Aboriginal,
Commerce, Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Military, Engineering,
Transportation, Exploration/Settlement;
Cultural Affiliation: Cascade Indians, Anglo-American settlers,
American military;
Period of Significance: 1499-1000 AD, 1749-1500 AD, 1750-1799, 1800-1824,
1825-1849, 1850-1874, 1875-1899, 1900-1924, 1925-1949;
Owner: Federal;
Historic Function: Defense, Domestic;
Historic Sub-function: Camp, Fortification, Military Facility, Village Site;
Current Function: Landscape;
Current Sub-function: Underwater;
..."
[National Register of Historic Places Website, 2005]
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Clahclehlah Village ...
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According to the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center (2011):
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"... This village was located on the north bank of the Columbia River and was an important trade center. Clark made journal entries describing it on October 31, 1805 and November 1, 1805. The Corps visited this village again on their homeward bound trip April 10, 1806. It was the focus of salvage archaeological excavations for the construction of the second powerhouse at Bonneville Dam in the late 1970s.
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[Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center exhibit, July 15, 2011]
On October 31, 1805, Captain Clark mentions passing a village of four houses closed up for the winter above the last rapid and he makes reference to another village at the base of the last rapid. According to Moulton, historians disagree about whether this is two separate villages, or whether it is one large village.
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"... at 5 miles I passed 4 large houses on the Stard Side a little above the last rapid and opposit a large Island which is Situated near the Lard. Side The enhabitents of those houses had left them closely Shut up, they appeared to Contn. a great deel of property and Provisions Such as those people use, I did not disturb any thing about those houses, but proceed on down below the rapid which I found to be the last, a large village has at Some period been on the Stard. Side below this rapid ..."
[Clark, Ocober 31, 1805]
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"... Investigators disagree on the relation of this village to the next site ("a large village has at Some period been"). Some view the two as a part of one complex, while others see them as separate entities. Beckham, 1718, 3134; Minor, Toepel, & Beckham, 4151; Dunnell & Whitlam, 57; Dunnell; Phebus, 12730. Only the first site is shown on Atlas map 79; both are represented on figs. 28 and 29 in volume 5. They are in Skamania County opposite present Bradford and Hamilton islands. ..."
[Moulton online Lewis and Clark Journals, October 31, 1805]
Lewis and Clark both wrote about the Clahclehlah Village on their return trip in April 1806. Captain Lewis wrote there were six houses while Captain Clark wrote there were four.
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We set out early and droped down the channel to the lower end of brant Island from whence we drew them up the rapid by a cord about a quarter of a mile which we soon performed; Collins and Gibson not having yet come over we directed Sergt. Pryor to remain with the cord on the Island untill Gibson arrived and assist him with his crew in geting his canoe up the rapid, when they were to join us on the oposite side at a small village of six houses of the Clah-clah'lahs where we halted for breakfast.
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[Lewis, April 10, 1806]
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at 6 A M. we Set out and proceeded to the lower point of the Island from whence we were Compelled to draw our Canoes up a rapid for about 1/4 mile which we Soon performed. Collins & gibson haveing not yet Come over we derected Serjt. Pryor to delay on the Island untill Gibson Came over & assist him with the large toe roap which we also left and to join us at a village of four houses of the Clah-lah-lar Tribe which is opposit to this Island on North Side at which place we intened to brackfast.
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[Clark, April 10, 1806]
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Information sign, Clahclehlah Village exhibit, Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Model, Clahclehlah Village exhibit, Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Hamilton Creek, North Bonneville, Washington.
Image taken October 27, 2004.
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Views from North Bonneville ...
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Hamilton Mountain from North Bonneville, Washington.
Image taken October 27, 2004.
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Aldrich Butte from North Bonneville, Washington.
Image taken October 27, 2004.
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Table Mountain from North Bonneville, Washington.
Image taken June 15, 2003.
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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 has become a snapshot of history.
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Penny Postcard: North Bonneville, Washington, ca.1951
Penny Postcard, Postmarked 1951, "North Bonneville, Wash.".
Christian, W-1184.
Divided back.
Postmarked date August 17, 1951, from North Bonneville, Wash.
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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Clark, April 10, 1806 ...
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Collins went out in the bottom to hunt [on the Oregon side of the Columbia in the Bonneville Dam area] agreeable to the order of last evening, and gibsons Crew was derected to delay for Collins dureing which time they were derected to Collect rozin from the pines in the bottom near our Camp [near Tanner Creek] at 6 A M. we Set out and proceeded to the lower point of the Island from whence we were Compelled to draw our Canoes up a rapid for about 1/4 mile which we Soon performed. Collins & gibson haveing not yet Come over we derected Serjt. Pryor to delay on the Island untill Gibson Came over & assist him with the large toe roap which we also left and to join us at a village of four houses of the Clah-lah-lar Tribe which is opposit to this Island on North Side at which place we intened to brackfast [vicinity of today's North Bonneville].
&nbps; in crossing the River which at this place is not more than 400 yards wide we fell down a great distance owing to the rapidity of the Current.
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at 10 oClock Sergt. Pryor and Gibson joined us with Collins who had killed 3 deer. these were all of the blacktailed fallow kind. We Set out and Continued up on the N. Side of the river with great dificuelty in Consequence of the Rapidity of the Current and the large rocks which forms this Shore; the South Side of the river is impassable.
As we had but one Sufficent toe roap and were obliged to employ the Cord in getting on our Canoes the greater part of the way we could only take them one at a time which retarded our progress very much. by evening we arived at the portage on the N. Side [Fort Rains] where we landed and Conveyed our baggage to the top of the hill about 200 paces distant where we found [formd?] a Camp. we had the Canoes drawn on Shore and Secured. the Small Canoe got loose from the hunters and went adrift with a tin cup & a tomahawk in her; the Indians Caught her at the last Village and brought her up to us this evening for which we gave them two knives; the Canoe overset and lost the articles which were in her..
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