The Historic Columbia River Highway
in Oregon
The Historic Columbia River Highway
in Oregon
Past and Present Photos of the
Columbia River Highway
Seaside to Pendleton
The following links will take you to past and present photos of the Columbia River Highway including some of the towns along the route. The vintage photos are either purchased from E-bay or are courtesy of the Library of Congress, the Oregon Historical Society, the University of Oregon Digital Libraries or from the Jeffery Fox collection. Many of the present photos are courtesy of Google Earth. All present images not from Google Earth were taken by the site's author Curt Cunningham. Many of these images were not meant to be as a "then & now" but just happened to be taken in close proximity to the old photo. Some will be more exact than others, but all should give the viewer a feeling of what the location in the old photo looks like today. Hope you enjoy them.
Seaside, Oregon is located on US Highway 101 about 15 miles south of Astoria. The small resort community has been a popular place for people seeking sun and surf for over 100 years. Seaside is also the western terminus of the Columbia River Highway. The famous Promenade and Turnaround were constructed when the highway was completed in the 1920's.
Astoria is the oldest town in the State of Oregon. It began when Fort Astoria was established in 1811 by John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company. In 1813 it was sold to the Canadian Northwest Fur Company and it was renamed Fort George. In 1825 the Hudson's Bay Company assumed ownership of the fort. In 1846 it reverted back to US ownership and renamed Fort Astoria. The town grew around the fort over the years to become an important shipping center and home to the Columbia river pilots who guide the ships to the inland ports along the river as far as Portland. There are many tales of people being "Shanghaied" from Astoria to work on those ships and there are many stories of ghosts haunting the historic buildings as well ad the Astoria underground.
Rainier, Oregon is located across the Columbia River from Longview, Washington and is about 45 miles northwest of Portland. This small town began in the 1850's and was a place on an early stage coach route between Portland and Puget Sound where travelers crossed the Columbia River. In the 1920's before the Longview bridge was constructed, ferries carried autos across the river. During construction of the Pacific Highway this route was used as a detour. Today Rainier is home to about 2,000 people.
Prescott Point is located on the bluff overlooking the Columbia River and Prescott Beach Park about 3 miles upstream from the town of Rainier and about 42 miles northwest of Portland. The old highway while abandoned today and can still be accessed. To get there drive up Little Jack falls road from Highway 30. The section of the old road is still owned by the State of Oregon so it is ok to explore. There is a small parking space for about 2 cars, and the old road can be seen from there. The road up the bluff is about a mile in length though only a quarter mile section can be walked on from the top. This is because Little Jack falls creek has cut a deep gulch across the old road making it impassible. This quarter mile section is the most beautiful of the entire length. The road was completed in 1915 and was used until 1948 when the water level route was completed. Little Jack falls is the most scenic waterfall out of 2 which are located on the Lower Columbia Highway.
This photo gallery of past and present photos are from the lower Columbia River at Bradley Park which is above the Widby loops which are also known as the Bugby Loops and are now bypassed by the new highway, the Westport tunnel constructed in the 1890's and was a part of a logging railroad, a view of the old highway near Goble, Bridge Street near the St. Johns Bridge, and a vintage image of 6th Avenue in downtown Portland.
This gallery of past and present photos are from Chanticleer Point now known as the Portland Women's Forum State Park. It is located on the Columbia River Highway, about 22 miles east of Portland and a mile west of the Vista House at Crown Point. The Chanticleer Inn which operated from 1912 until it burned down in 1930 once stood on this point which is now the parking lot. From the viewpoint you can see Rooster Rock and the Crown Point Vista House which was constructed in 1918. The Vista House still stands today as a place for travelers to take a break and enjoy the view of the Columbia River.
Shepperd's Dell and Bishop's Cap which is also known as Mushroom Rock are located on the old highway about 20 miles east of Portland. The Shepperd's Dell falls is a well known tourist attraction and is the second major waterfall encountered by travelers driving east on the old Columbia River Highway from Portland. The water from the creek cascades down a series of falls totaling 224 feet. The falls visible from the trail is 84 feet high.
This photo gallery of past and present photos are from the Mid-Columbia River which include Beacon Rock on the Washington side, the Bridge of the Gods built in 1927, Exit 28 at Bridal Veil, The Bridal Veil bridge, Main Street of Cascade Locks, the Latourell bridge including Maffett's Villa, and the old Columbia River Highway at Viento.
The Tooth Rock tunnel at the Bonneville dam was completed in 1936 to eliminate the narrow winding road over the hill at Tooth Rock. The 837 foot long tunnel was first used for eastbound and west bound traffic. On September 28, 1937 President Franklin Roosevelt traveled through the tunnel while on his way from Portland to dedicate the completion of the Bonneville dam. Today the tunnel is used for the eastbound lanes of Interstate 84.
The Eagle Creek bridge was constructed in 1916 and is at the east end of Tooth Rock. It is located about 37 miles east of Portland and the bridge is used as an off ramp to Interstate 84. The old highway above the Tooth Rock tunnel is now part of the Columbia River Highway trail and gives a fantastic view of the Bonneville dam.
Oneonta Bluff is located about 28 miles east of Portland and is famous for the Oneonta gorge which is now designated as a scientific area because of the unique plant life found there. The gorge is considered one of the 7 wonders of Oregon. There are a series of 4 waterfalls cascading through the gorge and the lower falls has a 100 foot drop. The place is also famous for the Oneonta tunnel completed in 1914 through the bluff which was constructed because there was not enough space between the bluff and the railroad tracks to allow the Columbia River Highway to pass through. By 1948 the 125 foot long tunnel became too narrow for the larger vehicles and the tracks were relocated so a new wider highway could be constructed which was built on top of the old 1883 grade. The tunnel was then backfilled and forgotten. In 2006 the tunnel was dug out and reopened for pedestrian traffic and now serves as part of the Historic Columbia River Highway Trail.
The town of Hood River is located on the old highway about 55 miles east of Portland and was founded in 1868. The town is the gateway to Mount Hood and the Mountain Loop Highway which begins at Hood River was completed around the mountain in 1922. The town today is a popular destination for wind and kite surfers and there are many thing to do. One of the popular attractions is the Mt. Hood Scenic Railroad.
Mosier Bridge and the Twin Tunnels
The bridge over Mosier Creek and the tunnels were completed in 1921. The Twin tunnels are 270 feet and 72 feet long respectively. The longer of these tunnels has two windows like those of the Mitchell Point tunnel only narrower.
The engineers had called the Twin tunnels "The Gateway," where just west of Lindsay creek, the passage was blown through fairly solid rock. Formerly the rocky hills obstructed the view. But since the road had been opened, a large slice was taken out of the gorge side, and one is able to see for a long distance up the Columbia, and thus the name. On October 29, 1920 the Gateway tunnels were reinforced with timber so those traveling through the spectacular tunnels, no longer feared having rocks come crashing down onto their autos.
Today the tunnels are part of a 4.5 mile section of the Historic Columbia River Highway Trail and can only be accessed by walking or bicycling, and the Mosier Creek bridge continues to carry traffic over a drivable section of the old highway.
The Dalles which is 70 miles east of Portland was once a major trading center for the Indian tribes of Oregon and Washington and has been inhabited by people continuously for over 10,000 years. The first Europeans to settle there was in 1838 when a branch of Jason Lee's Methodist church established the Wascopam Mission. In 1844 The Dalles became the terminus of the Oregon Trail, and in 1850 the US Army constructed Fort Dalles on the west side of the mission grounds. The town was incorporated in 1857 and many buildings from that era still stand today. This section of past and present photos are in 2 parts and include photos of the downtown area of The Dalles, Oregon's Cape Horn which is about 9 miles east of The Dalles, the Oregon Trunk Line bridge at Celilo, the Deschutes tunnel which was located about 14 miles east of the Dalles, and photos from the mouth of the Deschutes River.
Biggs Junction is about 90 miles east of Portland and about 15 miles east of The Dalles. In 1882 after the completion of the O. R. & N. mainline between Portland and Wallula a small town developed, and in 1900 it became a junction with the Columbia & Southern Railroad which ran south to Shaniko. Today Biggs is a junction of Interstate 84 and US Highway 97 and is a major travel resting place and is home to 3 truck stops and 2 motels.
The mouth of the John Day river is located about 100 miles east of Portland and 27 miles east of The Dalles and is now a recreation destination. These past and present photos show what the area looked like before and after the completion of the John Day dam which flooded the mouth of the John Day river inundating the old highway and railroad.
The town of Arlington, Oregon is located about 125 miles east of Portland and about 50 miles east of The Dalles. It was first known as Alkali but the name was changed in the 1880's. The town was inundated in 1968 after the John Day dam was constructed and the town had to be moved to higher ground. The center of town was rebuilt on top of fill brought in by the Army corps of Engineers and is roughly 20 feet above the south end of the old town. The old center of town is now under the water and old "A" street is now a beach.
This gallery of past and present photos are between Boardman and Pendleton which is the eastern terminus of the Columbia River Highway. These photos show Boardman before and after the flood, downtown Hermiston, downtown Pendleton and Shearer's bridge which was first constructed in the 1870's and is located on the Deschutes river 25 miles south of The Dalles. This is near the old emigrant crossing of the river along the cut-off route to the Barlow Trail which branched off after crossing the John Day river.
The Columbia River a Photographic Journey
Recreating the Old Oregon Trail Highway