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Benson State Recreation Area with the banks of the Columbia River Gorge rising on the right.
Image taken October 22, 2005.
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Benson State Recreation Area ...
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While maps still call this "Benson State Park", the Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation Website calls this the "Benson State Recreation Area". The park was named for Simon Benson who was a lumber magnate, philanthropist, and one of the principal promoters of the Historic Columbia River Highway. This same Benson was also the builder of the Benson Bridge which crosses Multnomah Falls.
Benson State Recreation Area is located just downstream of Wahkeena Falls and one mile west of
Multnomah Falls. Mist Falls rises above. Benson Lake is within the park and is stocked with thousands of rainbow trout each month between March and October.
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Benson Park in 1937 ...
From the 1937 Pittmon's Guide, "Pittmon's Portland, New Official Guide and Map":
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"...
Benson Park: 740 acres (32 miles up Columbia River Highway) includes
Multnomah Falls, Wah-kee-nah Falls, Wah-kee-nah Spring, Larch Mountain
Trail, Fairy Falls, picnic and camping grounds. Presented to city by S.
Benson.
..."
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Autumn ...
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Fish rearing pond below Benson State Recreation Area, Oregon.
Image taken October 22, 2005.
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Benson State Recreation Area, Oregon, looking towards Benson Lake.
Image taken November 19, 2005.
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Spring ...
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Spring, Benson Lake, Benson State Recreation Area, Oregon.
Image taken April 22, 2006.
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Spring, Benson Lake, Benson State Recreation Area, Oregon.
Image taken April 22, 2006.
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Winter ...
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Winter, Benson State Recreation Area, Oregon.
Image taken January 15, 2007.
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Winter, Benson State Recreation Area, Oregon.
Image taken January 15, 2007.
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Mist Falls from Benson State Recreation Area, Oregon.
Image taken November 19, 2005.
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Mist Falls, from Benson State Recreation Area, Oregon.
Image taken April 22, 2006.
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"The Golden Age of Postcards" ...
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The early 1900s was the "Golden Age of Postcards". The "Penny Postcard" became a popular way to send greetings to friends and family. Today the Penny Postcards have become a snapshot of history.
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Penny Postcard: Benson Park Entrance, ca.1910.
Penny Postcard, ca.1910, "At Benson Park Entrance, Columbia River Highway, Oregon.".
Caption on back reads: This beautifukl park was donated to the city by one of Portland's pioneers and will be one of the beauty spots along the Highway in years to come, constant improvements are being made to it."
Published by The Oregon News Company, Portland, Oregon.
Card #O-73.
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, November 2, 1805 ...
Examined the rapid below us [from their camp at Fort Rains, looking at the Cascade Rapids] more pertcelarly the danger appearing too great to Hazzard our Canoes loaded, dispatched all the men who could not Swim with loads to the end of the portage below, I also walked to the end of the portage with the carriers where I delayed untill everry articles was brought over and canoes arrived Safe. here we brackfast and took a Meridn. altitude 59° 45' 45" about the time we were Setting out 7 Squars came over loaded with Dried fish, and bear grass neetly bundled up, Soon after 4 Indian men came down over the rapid in a large canoe.
passed a rapid at 2 miles & 1 at 4 miles opposite the lower point of a high Island on the Lard Side [Bradford Island], and a little below 4 Houses on the Stard. Bank, a Small Creek on the Lard Side [Tanner Creek] opposit Straw berry Island [Hamilton Island], which heads below the last rapid, opposit the lower point of this Island [Hamilton Island] passed three Islands covered with tall timber [today there are two, Ives and Pierce] opposit the Beatin rock [Beacon Rock]
Those Islands are nearest the Starboard Side, imediately below on the Stard. Side passed a village of nine houses [Skamania and Skamania Landing], which is Situated between 2 Small Creeks [Woodward Creek and Duncan Creek], and are of the Same construction of those above; here the river widens to near a mile, and the bottoms are more extensive and thickly timbered, as also the high mountains on each Side, with Pine, Spruce pine, Cotton wood, a Species of ash, and alder. at 17 miles passed a rock near the middle of the river [Phoca Rock], about 100 feet high and 80 feet Diamuter,
proceed on down a Smoth gentle Stream of about 2 miles wide, in which the tide has its effect as high as the Beaten rock [Beacon Rock] or the Last rapids at Strawberry Island [Hamilton Island],- Saw great numbers of waterfowl of Different kinds, Such as Swan, Geese, white & grey brants, ducks of various kinds, Guls, & Pleaver [today just below Beacon Rock is Pierce National Wildlife Refuge and Franz National Wildlife Refuge]. ...
we encamped under a high projecting rock on the Lard. Side [Rooster Rock],
here the mountains leave the river on each Side, which from the great Shute to this place is high and rugid
[Columbia River Gorge, including Bridal Veil, Cape Horn, Yeon Mountain and St. Peters Dome, Oneonta Bluffs, Basalts at Multnomah and Horsetail Falls];
thickly Covered with timber principalley of the Pine Species. The bottoms below appear extensive and thickly Covered with wood. river here about 2½ miles wide.
Seven Indians in a Canoe on their way down to trade with the nativs below, encamp with us, those we left at the portage passed us this evening and proceeded on down The ebb tide rose here about 9 Inches, the flood tide must rise here much higher- we made 29 miles to day from the Great Shute [Cascade Locks]-
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