History of Boulder
By Curt Cunningham

Boulder was once a small stop on the Oregon and Washington Railroad & Navigation co. (O. W. R. & N.) and was located about 4 miles upriver from Heppner Junction, and 14 miles upriver from Arlington. It was just a shipping point for the railroad as all the stops along the line were. There was no steamer landing and no depot building was ever built. No town ever developed and the only structure was a platform next to the railroad tracks for loading the rail cars. Boulder's only claim to fame was that in the 1920's it was a ferry landing for the Boulder-Alderdale ferry. Alderdale, on the Washington side was a little town with a school, depot and a store with a post office, which was established in 1907, and was discontinued in 1962.

On Monday November 7, 1921 the Oregon Daily Journal announced that ferry service had been established between Boulder and Alderdale. Alderdale was the last station on the Spokane, Portland & Seattle railroad (S. P. & S.) and was a trading point for a portion of the Horse Heaven country. Residents in the vicinity of Alderdale previously had to go to Roosevelt to cross over the river to Oregon. In addition to giving the residents of Alderdale a direct connection to the Columbia River Highway, the ferry opened up a direct route for automobile tourist travel between Pendleton and the Yakima valley over a road through the Horse Heaven hills that was practically an all season route. The new ferry had the capacity for transporting 300 head of sheep or 11 automobiles.

On April 11, 1922 the Heppner Herald reported that members of the Morrow county court had traveled to Boulder Friday April 7th to be present at a meeting of the Public Service Commission when testimony was taken regarding the merits of a grade crossing over the railroad track to permit auto and team travel to reach the landing place of the ferry which was previously established there by Amos B. Strait. Judge Campbell, who headed the Heppner delegation, said that a large number of residents from the Washington side of the river were present at the hearing and expressed active interest in the project, which gave a large portion of that section of Washington an all year outlet to Portland and other southern points.

The railroad company was perfectly willing to grant either an overhead or an underway crossing, but they were utterly opposed to a grade crossing. Either of the former methods, the Judge said, was impracticable on account of cost. The commission heard the testimony on the matter and were expected to render a decision at an early date. Mr. Strait originally established his ferry at Boardman in 1920 expecting to operate it at that point, but after securing a franchise and building his boat, he found the water too shallow to float it near the Oregon shore. He then secured a franchise for a landing at Castle Rock 5.5 miles downstream, only to find similar conditions near the Washington shore at that point. He then moved the ferry to Boulder where, if the railroad crossing was granted would have plain sailing for the ferry.

In the Thursday April 13, 1922 edition of the Heppner Gazette is an article about the Boulder ferry. The Public Service commission set a hearing at Boulder station, so they could consider the application of Amos Strait who brought forth the question through the county court of Morrow county, for a crossing over the railway right-of-way at that point. Being greatly interested in this ferry, which Mr. Strait had established, the residents of Alderdale had prepared to receive the commission along with all other interested parties and visitors in fine style.

The ladies of Alderdale brought across the river in small boats a fine picnic luncheon which was spread out in a big tent on the Oregon shore of the Columbia, near the ferry landing. The commission, however, could not reach Boulder, owing to a hearing that was going on in Hermiston. So after all the day trains going west had passed Boulder and the people there realized nobody was going to show up, a delegation was chosen to accompany the members of the Morrow county court to Hermiston, where, on Friday evening the 14th, testimony of the railroad company and the petitioners could be taken and submitted to the Public Service commission. Attorney F. A. McMenamin of Heppner represented the petitioners. The establishing of the ferry would mean much to the people on the Washington side, as it would give them an outlet and connect up a large section of that state with the Columbia River Highway.

On Tuesday April 18, 1922 it was announced that F. A. McMenamin, who acted as attorney for Amos Strait and the Morrow county court in the matter of their application to the Public Service Commission for a crossing over the O. W. R. & N. tracks at Boulder to connect the Columbia River Highway was granted. Testimony had been taken in the matter at Hermiston, on April 7th and considerable testimony was heard, Mr. McMenamln spoke for the petitioners and W. A. Robbins for the railroad company.

The company contended that a grade crossing at that point would be highly dangerous and urged that if any crossing be granted that an underway crossing be ordered. The plaintiffs urged that anything but a grade crossing would be impractical and after hearing the testimony Commissioner H. H. Corey approved to application with Commissioner Rushtel concurring. The decision made the operation of this important ferry and many people benefited on both sides of the river who needed more direct communication.

On September 4, 1924 it was announced a that change in the ownership of the ferry across the Columbia from Boulder to Alderdale, had been accomplished. Amos Straight had disposed of what interest he had in the ferry to Smith and Hogue of Stevenson, WA. These gentlemen had been at Goldendale in late August conferring with the Klickitat county court, accompanied by William Warner a merchant of Stevenson, who had always taken quite an interest in the Boulder ferry. Warner had previously taken steps to have the franchise of Strait cancelled.

They made a successful deal with Strait, who consented to the cancellation of his franchise, and the Klickitat county court granted a franchise to Smith and Hogue, who launched a new boat in operation across the river. Hogue had charge of the ferry and considerable improvement was made in the approaches to the ferry on both the north and south sides of the river, and the traveling public could be assured that they could get over the river at Boulder or Alderdale.

Warner, who was in touch with the situation, believed that ultimately this ferry would be on the line of a highway reaching from the British Columbia border south through Central Washington and Central Oregon into California. For this reason he was anxious that a connection from Heppner to Spray with the John Day Highway would be made, and he hoped that the time was not far off when this could be done. He said; "our people will soon hear more about this north and south road through Washington and its bearing upon our tourist travel." Warner was talking about the future U. S. Highway 97 which ended up being constructed across the river between Maryhill and Biggs Junction instead of Alderdale and Boulder.

On Thursday October 9, 1924 it was announced that the ferry across the Columbia river between Boulder and Alderdale was now in operation and doing business daily. The new management, Smith & Hogue, had placed a splendid boat on the river and they were rendering prompt service. On Sunday October 5th a picnic had been arranged by the people of Alderdale in celebration of the opening of the ferry. The good folks of Alderdale prepared a lot of fine eats and an invitation was extended to the Heppner folks and others on the Oregon side of the river to join in with them.

Responding to this invitation, Judge Campbell and wife along with Morrow County Sheriff McDuffee and his wife drove out from Heppner. Morrow County Commissioner L. P. Davidson and his wife came from Ione. It had been planned to spread the lunch in the grove at Boulder, but the wind was coming up strong and the sand began blowing a little too lively for pleasure, so the people were ferried over to the Washington side where a more secluded spot was found and a real picnic was enjoyed.

Judge Campbell reported that the people of Alderdale were greatly pleased over the installation of the ferry and they were pulling as hard as they could to direct traffic across the Columbia to intersect the Columbia River Highway at Boulder. They looked for a lively business to come from the Yakima country and other points in Washington to the east, as by coming across this way the distance to Portland would be shortened. They said they could guarantee the best of service.

The Road to Yakima

On March 23, 1923 J. C. Ballinger and  his wife accompanied by Mr. Warren attended a good roads meeting in Yakima. The meeting was about a recommendation made by the Yakima Commercial club to get a good road from Yakima to the Alderdale ferry which had proved beneficial. Things didn't happen right away, but by 1927 the highway leading from the ferry at Alderdale north to the Yakima valley had been improved. Some of the sharp curves were taken out and a little grading to the roadbed was done, which lessened the steepness of the grade coming up the hill from the river.

The road was then graveled from the ferry landing to Bickleton where it connected with the newly completed North Bank Highway to Mabton. On April 9, 1926 H. L. Livingston of Portland submitted an application to the state for a freight service between Yakima and Portland. The route they chose was from Portland over the Columbia River Highway to Boulder and across the river on the ferry from Boulder to Alderdale, then up the hill to Yakima via Mabton. From Mabton the route follows today's State Route 22 to Toppenish where is connects with U. S. Highway 97 for the remainder of the way to Yakima.

The Alderdale Tragedy

The ferry landing at Alderdale was a popular picnic and swimming place for the people of the community as well as for others from the surrounding area and many in Northern Oregon who crossed over on the ferry. Hundreds of people for years had enjoyed a summer day there out in the sun. But on Sunday August 4, 1929 tragedy struck the popular beach on the river. That afternoon Ione resident Glenn Robison 15 years old and Longview resident Eva Stange 17 years old were drowned at about 4pm in the Columbia river near the Alderdale ferry. The sad news reached the town of Ione late Sunday evening of the 4th which shocked the community

That Sunday afternoon of the 4th, Mr. and Mrs. I. R. Robison and their son Glenn along with Eva Stange, who had been spending the summer at the Robison home, drove to Boulder and took the ferry over to Alderdale for a swim. Mr. Robison and his son had gotten into the water before the women did and had swam away from where everyone else was swimming. Glenn then became exhausted and called out for help. His father who was close by quickly swam over to help him, and in the process of saving him also became exhausted and almost lost his own life. When Glenn shouted for help, Eva who was still on the beach went to his assistance. She took time to remove her dress but failed to take off her shoes, which made swimming harder for her.

When Glenn and his father first noticed her in the water she was in trouble and was drowning. Glenn, in his exhausted state he tried to save her but could not and Glenn's father was also powerless to save her. From the shore, Mrs. Robison, helpless and frightened, witnessed the tragedy. Mr. Robison was able to make it back to the shore but Glenn was not to be seen. Eva's body was recovered in about 20 minutes, but the efforts of the friends failed to resuscitate her. Glenn's body was not found until early the next morning. Both bodies were taken to Heppner where they were prepared for burial. Funeral services for Glenn Robison were held at the lone Baptist church at 10pm Tuesday morning August 13, 1929.

Interment was made at Maryhill cemetery that Tuesday afternoon. Rev. Jordan, pastor of the Maryhill church, had charge of the services. He was assisted by Rev. W. W. Head, pastor of the Congregational church at lone. Eva's body was shipped to Longview, WA where funeral services were held. Eva was the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hallick Stange. The family had lived for years near Ione, and in 1926 they moved to Longview. To mourn her loss besides her mother and father, she had 2 sisters and a brother. The bereaved parents had the sympathy of the entire communities of Ione, Longview, Alderdale and Heppner.

The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission

On November 7, 1930 it was reported that the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission had ordered a bronze medal to be sent to Mr. and Mrs. Hallick Stange in recognition of the heroism of their daughter, Eva Stange. During the summer of 1929 a representative of the Carnegie commission had visited Ione and from Mr. and Mrs. I. R. Robison, the parents of Glenn, learned about the tragedy.

Love is Found at the Ferry Landing

This love story begins in 1934 when Kenny Cross became a resident of Prosser, WA. This was when his family moved there from Montana where he was born. In 1935 he graduated from Prosser High school, and then worked at various jobs in the lower Yakima Valley and in Northern Oregon. In 1936 he moved to Heppner and lived there for 2 years. Then on a hot summer day either in 1938 or 1939, he happened to stop for a swim at the popular Columbia river beach at the Alderdale Ferry landing.

While there he met the ferryman's daughter, Ruth Simms who was also swimming while her father was working on the ferry. When they saw each other it was "love at first sight." After a short courtship they were bonded in matrimony in 1939. After their honeymoon was over, they made a loving home in Ellensburg where they raised a family. Kenny ran the gas pumps at the Texaco station there for his uncle Ralph Cross, and he eventually became the mechanic. The station was called "Big Star Service."

The Boulder Ferry Breaks Down

On Tuesday evening August 2, 1938 Marion Oviatt drove Mark Merrill from Heppner to Toppenish, WA, so Merrill could see a sister who lived there and was was quite ill. Starting across the river on the Boulder ferry, the ferry became stalled a short way out. About an hour before the crew gave up trying to get the boat running again, and asked the male passengers to help them paddle the boat to get it back to the shore. After they got the ferry back to the Boulder landing, Marion and Mark traveled to Irrigon and took that ferry over to Patterson so they could continue their trip. They spent the rest of the day with Mark's sister and stayed over for the night. The next day they traveled back home to Heppner on the Boulder ferry making it across the river with no problems.

The End Days For the Boulder Ferry

By the late 1940's or early 1950's the Alderdale-Boulder ferry abandoned its operations, and Boulder faded away from existence. After the ferry discontinued its service, Alderdale began its decline, and by 1962 the town was practically deserted. When the John Day dam was to be constructed, there were no plans to move Alderdale to higher ground and in 1968 when the water behind the dam began to rise creating Lake Umatilla what remained of the town disappeared. The rising water also removed any trace of the landing on the Oregon side.