Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

Yesterday we took a 250 mile bus tour of the Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood. The fields are lush and green, the flowers are plentiful, and the beautiful horses grazing on the rolling terrain reminded us of Kentucky, where we lived for 13 years. We first visited the Philip Foster Home. Philip was an entrepreneur from the East who realized that there was money to be had at the end of the old Oregon Trail. That is where he claimed a 640 acre piece of land. As thousands of early settlers struggled past Mt. Hood, the first site of progress they encountered was the Foster Farm and General Store. There they could find a room, get a bath, get their horses shod, repair their wagons and stock up on needed supplies.

Next we visited the Timberline Lodge at an elevation of 6000 feet. This marvelous architectural masterpiece was constructed by the U.S. Forest Service with labor provided by the WPA. Many starving artists and craftsmen of the Great Depression Era worked on the project. The outside shell of the picturesque, huge building took only eight months to complete. Because of the heavy snows that blanket the area each winter, speed was essential. So proud was President Roosevelt of the success and beauty of the finished work that he personally came to Oregon in 1937 to dedicate the lodge.

We were served lunch at Timberline and could see skiers coming off the slopes of Mt. Hood from our dining area. Very little has changed at the lodge since it was built. It still has the original layout, furnishings and hardware, and because it is on the National Historic Register, little can be altered. It was the first structure east of the Mississippi to employ a sprinkler system. The latter has saved the old lodge from fire on several occasions.

We also visited Multnomah Falls, second highest in the U.S. at 620 feet. Then our leisurely journey continued on the narrow, twisting Columbia Historic River Highway, one of the top 10 Scenic By-ways in the country. Another highpoint was Vista House at Crown Point. By early evening we reached Portland and then it was back home to the rally in Salem.