Historic Hood River
Celilo Village
10-14-2014
Notes
This Howard Jones photograph is labelled “Celilo Village as it was.” It predates the construction of the Dalles Dam, which inundated Celilo Falls, destroying a centuries old way of life and forcing relocation of the village. You can see a little of the old canal around the falls, which is still visible from I-84.
charlott
This is a much earlier photo than the 1950’s. By the ’50’s the village was across the road under the rim rock. I do see the Long House building that they used for their festivals. It is the one behind the dark building with the windows. I don’t recall that dark building being there when I was a child.
The building in the lower left is the store/kind of restuarant that was there.
Above the store you can see the trail that goes over the locks that you had to walk on to get out to the river. That was where the white men could go, as this lead to what was called the "dead line. area, which was as far up that white men could fish.
I can not picture in my mind where the Indian fishermen went over. There must have been access up by "The Chute" somewhere, as I never remember ever seeing any Indians down where you crossed over the railroad track and canal.
This is not when the salmon were running as that place was a h Looks pretty dead to me.ot bed of activity, plus both sides of the highway were lined with cars.
Arlen Sheldrake
We need to make sure our grand children know of our past deeds. As I told our granddaughters this past weekend, the hospitality shown to the Lewis & Clark Expedition folk was sure misplaced……..
charlott
Today The Dalles Dam would not have been built where it was. The outcry over it would have been immense and we would all have the pleasure of seeing that beautiful falls. I see so much history, in my mind, that I actually saw in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. It is hard to explain it all to someone who never actually saw, heard , and smelled what it was all about.
Arlen Sheldrake
ah yes, the noise and the smell……quite the memories. one of the Wishram locomotive engineers wrote quite the story about the sound of silence as the dam (or is that damn) pool filled.
Arthur
Tell us more about the noise and the smell…
Buzz
That was fun to watch the Indians on those rickety platforms netting salmon. And hear the roar of the falls. And you are right, that dam, where it is located, would never fly today. Too late smart. My guess is people will feel the same way down the road about some of our so called "technological advancements" that are taking place today.
Arlen Sheldrake
Book: That Reminds Me of Another Story, Stories of the SP&S Railway by Kenny Prager, 1999. While Kenny has gone to end of track, his book lives on…. chapter: What’s that Noise?. "All of a sudden I sensed something was wrong….The falls! We don’t hear it any more." March 9, 1957 as they were filling the pool half way. Kenny worked out of Wishram for many years.
The roar was almost as overpowering as the fish smell to this young visitor.l
Buzz
To me, the sights, the smell, and the roar of celilo were maybe a primeval experience. How often do you get to see history. How many centuries had the Indians been getting their fish at that location and in that manner? Gone. Sad.
Judy
Now I would not eat a fish that comes out of the river.
Charlott
My Dad and I stood on the top of the rim rock the day the dam backed the water up and destroyed such a wonderful part of nature. We hiked quite a few miles across country to get there. We watched the very last little rock go under the water and then we cried in silence.
Arlen, lots of Indian men lost their lives on that railroad bridge between Wishram and Celilo. They would walk across, get drunk and try to make it back to the village.