The Columbia Gorge marked the final leg of the Oregon Trail. At The Dalles the pioneers were faced with a choice: make rafts of their wagons and belongings and shoot the rapids through the dark canyon lined with daunting basalt cliffs, or go south and take the equally formidable Barlow Toll Road over the flanks of Mt. Hood to reach the fertile western valleys. Steeped in the history of the old west, this area had its share of Indian uprisings, range wars between the cattlemen and the sheepherders, prospectors on the gold trail, homesteaders, moon-shiners and outlaws.

            The relics of the past litter the country side and the Wild West lives on today. One can still happen upon a cattle drive, rodeos, and Indians dip netting salmon from the river.

            Sternwheelers still ply the river and ranchers still raise cattle, sheep and wheat. The Hood River Valley is renowned for its fruit orchards. At harvest time heirloom varieties which first crossed the American continent in prairie schooners or rounded the horn on the clipper ships are available at roadside stands run by the hard working family farmers that still support the regions economy.

 Old ranch house                         Chuck wagon                                      log cabin

Wheat fields

Indians dip netting salmon

Queen of the West                 Steam Wheat Thresher           

Blockhouse                       Guardhouse                                  Artillery

Early power station and turbine

              Wild West Part II

All photos and articles Copyright^© Vernon Wade 2005 unless otherwise noted