Historic Hood River
Wahkeenah Falls, Circa 1920
3-12-2015
Notes
This is a nice postcard of Wahkeenah Falls, but I was going to pass on posting it until I zoomed in and saw the “Drink Orange Crush” sign. Suddenly I was transported to my childhood, getting bottles of Orange Crush from a then ancient vending machine at a long gone summer camp. So enjoy.
This is also a good image to illustrate how much the vegetation has grown in the last century, dramatically changing the travelers experience. ODOT is working to restore some key views along the highway by selectively removing some of the trees.
Category: default
Tags: 1920s, automobile, Columbia River Highway, Orange Crush, postcard, Rotary, then and now, Wahkeena Falls, waterfall
Tags: 1920s, automobile, Columbia River Highway, Orange Crush, postcard, Rotary, then and now, Wahkeena Falls, waterfall
spinsur
Looks like middle building must be mens/womens restrooms. Is that a Rotary sign behind the fountain at right? Wonder what all the little signs say at distant part of photo along road?
Longshot
It would be a wonderful thing to be able to take a Google Map trip down the Scenic Highway circa 1920.
Arthur
Yes, that’s the Portland Rotary fountain. I know there is some story about its disposition, but I can’t recall what happened to it. Does anyone know?
Can’t read the distant signs, but the near one says "Don’t Park on Pavement"
Kenn
I understand the rotary fountain is being restored and will be reinstalled at Wahkeena, hopefully with water again emitting from each side of the hub. I heard it was relocated to Horsetail without water, stolen, and apparently since found.
Steve r
Link for more rotary fountain information- Dated Dec 14 – bottom of the page-
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs119/1102814513792/archive/1119262147009.html#LETTER.BLOCK11
What’s with the pile behind first car- gravel- ? and fresh tire tracks in the road … ?
Marge Dryden
The rotary fountain at Wahkeena was damaged in what we believed to have been a debris flow in the 1920’s or maybe the early 1930’s. The basin was broken but the bronze Wheel (or Hub) was stored in a warehouse at the Bonneville Hatchery until 1985. In 1985 the Rotary and the forest Service installed the fountain at Horsetail Falls. In 2007, the fountain was stolen. The thief was pulled over by the police for driving a stolen vehicle. The tow truck driver discovered the fountain in the back of the truck and called the Portland Rotary office. They figured out that it had been stolen from Horsetail Falls and it was returned to the USFS. Early this year (2015) the Forest Service installed the fountain in a planter in the the Wahkeena Picnic Area. It has not been plumbed to work again as a fountain, but it still looks great and is near its original home. We’re happy to have it back on display for everyone to enjoy. To find it, park at Wahkeena and take the steps down to the the picnic area. It is at the base of the steps.