Lewis and Clark's Columbia River
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Lewis & Clark's Columbia River - "200 Years Later"
"Columbia Gorge Hotel and Wah Gwin Gwin Falls, Oregon"
Includes ... Columbia Gorge Hotel ... Wah Gwin Gwin Falls ... Phelps Creek ... National Register of Historic Places ...
Image, 2006, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.


Columbia Gorge Hotel ...
Columbia Gorge Hotel is located four miles downstream of Hood River, Oregon, at Columbia River Mile (RM) 166.5, where Phelps Creek reaches the Columbia. Ruthton Point is downstream. The Columbia Gorge Hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 (Building #79003736).

Image, 2006, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, as seen from Washington State, click to enlarge
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Columbia Gorge Hotel and Wah Gwin Gwin Falls, as seen from Washington State. View from near the Spring Creek Fish Hatchery, Washington. Image taken May 10, 2006.


Wah Gwin Gwin Falls and Phelps Creek ...
The 208-foot-high "Wah Gwin Gwin" Falls ("rushing water") is the falls on Phelps Creek and is located on the Hotel property. Wah Gwin Gwin Falls is one of the many falls in the Columbia River Gorge. The Lewis and Clark journals comment on Wah Gwin Gwin Falls on October 29, 1805.
"... a small stream of water falls over a rock of 100 feet ..." [Clark, October 29, 1805, first draft]

"... a butifull cascade falling over a rock of about 100 feet ..." [Clark, October 29, 1805]

"... Saw a beautiful Spring on the Lard. Side, which run off a high clift of rocks, and fell of the clift upwards of a hundred feet perpinticular ..." [Ordway, October 29, 1805]

"... and a Spring on Lard. Side which ran of a high clift of rocks which looked curious ..." [Whitehouse, October 29, 1805, first draft]

"... & a spring which lay on the South side of the River, which ran from off a high Clift of Rocks & had a curious appearance ..." [Whitehouse, October 29, 1805]

Image, 2006, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Wah Gwin Gwin Falls, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.
Image, 2006, Wah Gwin Gwin Falls, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Wah Gwin Gwin Falls, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.
Image, 2006, Wah Gwin Gwin Falls, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Looking over Wah Gwin Gwin Falls at Phelps Creek, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.
Image, 2006, Wah Gwin Gwin Falls, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Pattern, Wah Gwin Gwin Falls, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.
Image, 2006, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Phelps Creek, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.


The Hotel ...
From the Columbia Gorge Hotel Website (2005):
"... The stately site on which the Columbia Gorge Hotel now stands was originally developed in 1904 by Bobby Rand, a Hood River pioneer, as the Waw Gwin Gwin Hotel (a Native American name "rushing water" for the 208' waterfall on the grounds). These were the days of steamers navigating the waters of the Columbia River from the Cascades to The Dalles. To alert the hotel, the captains would sound the whistle once for each guest he had on board. Maids would then quickly make up the appropriate number of beds. In 1920, Rand sold his interests in the hotel to Simon Benson. Benson had just helped complete what many of the era claimed to be the world's most beautiful road, the Columbia Gorge Scenic Highway. Benson's dream was to create an opulent hotel for travelers at the end of this road. He hired some of the same Italian stone masons that had built the highway to embellish his hotel. ... As with numbers of establishments, the depression and the ensuing war took its toll on the hotel. After a number of changes in ownership, Boyd Graves bought the property in 1981. The Columbia Gorge Hotel, brilliantly restored to a new opulence, stands proudly atop a bluff overlooking the mighty Columbia River greeting its visitors with warmth and elegance. ..." ["ColumbiaGorgeHotel.com" Website, 2005"]

Image, 2005, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken June 4, 2005.
Image, 2006, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.
Image, 2006, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.
Image, 2006, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Cupola, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.


Flowers Flowers Flowers ...

Image, 2006, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Tulip, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.
Image, 2006, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Tulips, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.
Image, 2006, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Tulips, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.
Image, 2006, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Tulips, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.
Image, 2006, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Flowers and Ferns, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.


Views Around the Hotel ...

Image, 2006, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Front door, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.
Image, 2006, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Light, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.
Image, 2006, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Stone Arch, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Stone arch walkway across Phelps Creek. Image taken May 10, 2006.
Image, 2006, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon, click to enlarge
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Ducks, Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.


Views from the Hotel ...

Nice views of the Columbia River and Wells Island can be seen from the grounds of the Columbia Gorge Hotel, as well as looking across the Columbia at Hood, Washington, and the Spring Creek Fish Hatchery.

Image, 2006, Columbia River as seen from the Columbia Gorge Hotel, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Columbia River as seen from the Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Wells Island is on the right. Image taken May 10, 2006.
Image, 2006, Hood, Washington, as seen from the Columbia Gorge Hotel, click to enlarge
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Hood, Washington, as seen from the Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. View of the Broughton Lumber Mill. Image taken May 10, 2006.
Image, 2006, Spring Creek Fish Hatchery, Washington, as seen from the Columbia Gorge Hotel, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Spring Creek Fish Hatchery, Washington, as seen from the Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.


From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...

Clark, October 29, 1805, first draft ...
... 6 miles to a high Clift of rocks Std bend passed a large creek at 1 mile on the Stard. Side in which the Indians catch fish, a large Sand bar from the Lard. Side for 4 miles, at which place a small stream of water falls over a rock of 100 feet on the Lard Side passed 4 Indian Houses at 5 miles in a bot- tom on the Lard Side ...


Clark, October 29, 1805 ...
A cloudy morning wind from the West but not hard, we Set out at day light [from their camp on Rocky Island at Crates Point], and proceeded on about five miles Came too on the Stard. Side at a village of 7 houses built in the Same form and materials of those above, here we found the Chief we had Seen at the long narrows [The Dalles] ...     they are hospitable and good humered Speak the Same language of the inhabitants of the last village, we call this the friendly village [vicinity of Dougs Beach]. ...     after brackfast we proceeded on, the mountains are high on each Side [high basalt cliffs of the Rowena Gap], containing Scattering pine white oake & under groth, hill Sides Steep and rockey; at 4 miles lower we observed a Small river falling in with great rapidity on the Stard. Side [Klickitat River] below which is a village of 11 houses [today the town of Lyle is on the upstream side of the Klickitat], here we landed to Smoke a pipe with the nativs and examine the mouth of the river, which I found to be 60 yards wide rapid and deep, The inhabitants of the village are friendly and Chearfull; those people inform us also those at the last village that this little river is long and full of falls, no Salmon pass up it, it runs from N. N. E. that ten nations live on this river and its waters, on buries, and what game that Can kill with their Bow & arrows

we purchased 4 dogs and Set out- (this village is the of the Same nation of the one we last passed) and proceeded on The Countrey on each side begin to be thicker timbered with Pine and low white Oake; verry rockey and broken [passing Mayer State Park on the Oregon side]. passed three large rocks in The river the middle rock is large long and has Several Squar vaults on it. we call this rockey Island the Sepulchar [Memaloose Island] - The last river we passed we Shall Call the Cataract River [Klickitat River] from the number of falls which the Indians say is on it- passed 2 Lodges of Indians a Short distance below the Sepulchar Island [Memaloose Island] on the Stard. Side river wide, at 4 mile passed 2 houses on the Stard. Side, Six miles lower passed 4 houses above the mouth of a Small river 40 yards wide on the Lard. Side [Hood River] a thick timbered bottom above & back of those houses; those are the first houses which we have Seen on the South Side of the Columbia River, (and the axess to those dificuelt) for fear of the approach of their common enemies the Snake Indians, passed 14 houses on the Std. Side Scattered on the bank- from the mouth of this little river which we shall Call Labeasche River [Hood River], the falls mountain [Mount Hood] is South and the top is covered with Snow. one mile below pass the mouth of a large rapid Stream on the Stard. Side [White Salmon River], opposit to a large Sand bar [from Hood River], in this creek the Indians above take their fish, here we Saw Several canoes, which induced us to call this Canoe Creek [White Salmon River] it is 28 yards wide, about 4 miles lower and below the Sand bar is a butifull cascade falling over a rock of about 100 feet [Wah Gwin Gwin Falls, location of the Columbia Gorge Hotel],

[On the route map (Map#78, Moulton, Vol.1) a "C___ Spring" is shown on the north side of the river, today the location of Spring Creek and Spring Creek Fish Hatchery, with no mention of it in any text. On the south side, at the location of Wah Gwin Gwin Falls, only "Cascade" is labeled and "4 Houses of Indians".]

a Short distance lower passed 4 Indian houses on the Lard. Side in a timbered bottom, a fiew miles further we came too at 3 houses on Stard. Side, back of which is a pond [today the location of Drano Lake. The Little White Salmon River empties into Drano Lake.] in which I Saw Great numbers of Small Swan, Capt. Lewis and went into the houses of those people ...     Here the mountains are high on each Side, those to the Lard. Side has Some Snow on them at this time, more timber than above and of greater variety.



Ordway, October 29, 1805 ...
a cloudy morning. we Set out eairly, and proceeded on about 6 miles and halted at Some Indian lodges where we bought a number more dogs and proceeded on the current gentle passed a great number of Indian villages on the Stard Side. passed a creek on the Stard. Side and one on the Lard. Side. Saw 2 or 3 cabbens on the Lard. side which is the first we Seen on that Side on this River. Saw a beautiful Spring on the Lard. Side, which run off a high clift of rocks, and fell of the clift upwards of a hundred feet perpinticular. the country Mountaineous. high clifts on the River. mostly covred with pine timber. Some cotten wood on the narrow bottoms. Some willow also we bought several more dogs at one of the villages. we Came 26 miles this day and Camped at a village on the Stard. Side Saw Snow on a mountain on the Lard. Side.—


Whitehouse, October 29, 1805, first draft ...
a cloudy morning. we Set out eairly and proceeded on about 6 miles and halted for breakfast at Some Indian villages on the Stard. Side, where we bought a nomber more fat dogs we proceeded on the current gentle passed a great nomber of Indian villages on the Stard Side which had their houses built like those at the falls. Saw 2 or 3 Camps on the Lard. Side, which was the first we Saw on that Side of the Calm. R. passed the mo. of two creeks, one on each Side, and a Spring on Lard. Side which ran of a high clift of rocks which looked curious. the country this day mountaineous high clifts of rocks on each side of the River. the country mostly timbred Such as pine and oak. Some cottonwood on Some of the narrow bottoms along the Shores willows also. we bought Several more dogs at one of the villages. went 26 miles and Camped at a village on the Stard. Side in a Small or narrow bottom of large cotton trees. we bought Several bags of pounded Sammon to day. we Saw Snow on the timbred mountains on the Lard. Side a little back from the River.


Whitehouse, October 29, 1805 ...
A cloudy cool morning. We set out early & proceeded on about 6 Miles & halted to breakfast, at some Indian Lodges, lying on the North side of the River; which was Inhabited by a number of Indians. We purchased from those Indians, a number more fat dogs. We proceeded on our Voyage, & found the current of the River to run very gentle, & passed a great number of Indian Villages, lying on the North side of the River. The houses in those Villages; were built in the same manner of those that I have already described that lay at the falls of this River. We passed 3 Indian Camps which were on the South side of the River. these were the first Indian camps, that we had seen, that lay on that side of the River. We also passed two Creeks, lying on each side of the River & a spring which lay on the South side of the River, which ran from off a high Clift of Rocks & had a curious appearance.—

The Country this day is very Mountaineous & has high Clifts of Rocks lying on each side of the River. The Country here abounds with Timber of Pine & Cotton wood.—

The bottoms along the River is small, & has will growing on them. We purchased of the Natives a number of bags of pounded Salmon. We saw mountains lying on the South side of the River; a distance back from it; Covered with timber, which had Snow lying on them. We came about 26 Miles this day, & encamped at an Indian Village, lying on the North side of the River, in a narrow bottom, which was covered with Cotton Wood Trees.— We found the Natives here very friendly & of the Flatt head nation.





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*River Miles [RM] are approximate, in statute miles, and were determined from USGS topo maps, obtained from NOAA nautical charts, or obtained from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Website, 2003

Sources: "ColumbiaGorgeHotel.com" Website, 2005; National Register of Historic Places Website, 2005.

All Lewis and Clark quotations from Gary Moulton editions of the Lewis and Clark Journals, University of Nebraska Press, all attempts have been made to type the quotations exactly as in the Moulton editions, however typing errors introduced by this web author cannot be ruled out; location interpretation from variety of sources, including this website author.
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December 2005