Historic Hood River
Mitchell’s Point Viaduct
7-9-2020
Notes
This Eddy postcard offers a good view of the viaduct which lead into west end of the Mitchell’s Point tunnel.
Category: default
Tags: Columbia River Highway, Eddy, Mitchell Point, Mitchell Point Tunnel, postcard, tunnel, viaduct
Tags: Columbia River Highway, Eddy, Mitchell Point, Mitchell Point Tunnel, postcard, tunnel, viaduct
Tom Kloster
Samuel Lancaster had great faith in the angle of repose. I’m always amazed to see concrete piers on his bridges and viaducts sunk into loose talus, but a century+ has proven him right! Nice view of this viaduct – looking forward to seeing the Mitchell Point Tunnel reborn. Thanks!
L.E.
I have trouble remembering what was on the east side and the west side of the tunnel. A review of the tags for Mitchell Point and Tunnel help. Photo https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=2074 gives an appreciation for the stone work.
I think one can appreciate the landscape of this area more from the Washington side on Highway 14.
Kyle
Beautiful shot. And a good point, Tom, I’ve wondered the same, looking at the existing supports sitting in what looks like fluffy loose soil.
ArthurB
Our friends at ODOT sent me the engineering drawings for this viaduct. They show the piers and footings go significantly deeper than we can see. See the one which looks a little thicker? It is 4" thicker than the others, and only one-third of its length is visible above ground. The next one to the east is twice as long as we see here. The viaduct design was modified before construction to significantly increase the footing depth. I wonder if they discovered something when they started excavations, or if a senior engineer checking a junior engineer’s work decided more depth was warranted?
For the new tunnel, we have a 3-D model of the rock formations making up the cliff-side, but still have to include a large contingency in the budget in case we find something unexpected during excavation.
Arlen L Sheldrake
great postcard….gives me a better perspective of what ODOT faced in developing the water route…
and I agree, the view from 14 or the empire builder is much better that the view from the oregon side…
Arlen L Sheldrake
Mark Moore of the Webfooters Postcard Club (and now also Gresham History Museum) says this postcard producer was active between 1915 and 1930 or so and he believes this postcard was from 1920
Kenn
A bit of concrete remains of the west end of the viaduct or bridge. At the east end conduit remains from the traffic lights that were put in later for one way traffic. The right of way remains at both ends of the tunnel.
Arlen L Sheldrake
a more precise year from the postcard experts….1923. it still amazes me how much history is preserved by the postcard.
L.E.
I see the postcard calls it Mitchell’s Point, evidently recognizing Mitchell lived there.
L.E.
Kenn, do you know where the Mitchell Point Mill was and where the flume was located that came down to it?
Jeffrey W Bryant
Article on Mitchell’s Point Mill
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn97071110/1918-03-21/ed-1/seq-3/
Jeffrey W Bryant
Other references to the Mitchell’s Point Mill:
The Hood River Glacier, June 12, 1913, page 4
The Hood River Glacier, June 21, 1917, page 2
The Hood River Glacier, September 20, 1917, page 6
Kenn
LE, I have a map showing it and the flume which I have followed years ago from high on Perham Creek.to the Columbia. There are two model T blocks and hardware remaining at the site with some carriage rail. When we followed the flume route there were random rotting boards remaining usually covered with moss etc.