Historic Hood River
No. 7, Cape Horn
8-10-2015
Notes
This one has me scratching my head. I’ve never seen an image of Cape Horn from this side. At first I though the negative was flipped, but I don’t think that’s the case. I suspect it was taken by one of the famous photographers of the age, but I can’t quite place it. Any guesses?
OrMtnMaid
Just to the right is where the railroad tunnel was engineered. Your image #943.
L.E.
I am on my ipad, so it is harder for me to see, but I suspect it is a Benjamin Gifford, taken from the east side.
L.E.
I know there is more than one Cape Horn, on the Columbia, but as OrMtnMaid’s photo shows, this is the Cape Horn across from the Multnomah Falls area.
The community of Cape Horn with homes and boat landing is behind the photographer.
Some of this area was destroyed when a blasting in the 1920’s for the highway up above went wrong and covered the area along the river.
I think the tracks were completed in 1910.
L.E.
Here is a link to the Washougal History Book about Cape Horn and a Benjamin Gifford photo.
https://books.google.com/books?id=f1PhHgTjsrEC&lpg=PA82&ots=tXovcKPhNY&dq=benjamin%20gifford%20cape%20horn&pg=PA82#v=onepage&q=benjamin%20gifford%20cape%20horn&f=false
Scott Cook
Thanks LE, insightful comments as always! If y’all check pix on Google earth you’ll see photos of this same spot, as well as my photos of the remains of the dock landing. And, you are right about the BIG blast that wiped-out the cliff of Cape Horn and delayed highway building for years. The story of the blast featured prominently in the local newspapers. Someday I’ll get the story and photos into my next book someday. Hope hope.