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Columbia River Gorge and the Fort Rains viewpoint.
Image taken February 26, 2005.
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The Forts of the Cascades Rapids ...
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Throughout history four different forts or blockhouses existed along a rough 4.5 mile stretch of the Columbia River Gorge between Hamilton Island and Cascades Locks, known throughout history as the "Cascade Rapids".
- The first fort built was Fort Gilliam, established in 1848 and located at the upper end of the Rapids. Fort Gilliam was a supply depot for the Cayuse Indian Wars.
- Next came
Fort Cascades, built in 1855 at the lower end of the Rapids. It was built to defend the portage and was known as the "Lower Blockhouse".
- Next came Fort Rains, also built in 1855. It was located at the lower end of the portage around the "Upper Cascades" and was known as the "Middle Blockhouse".
- The last fort built was Fort Lugenbeel, built in 1856 and located at the upper end of the "Upper Cascades" portage, and was known as the "Upper Blockhouse".
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Fort Rains ...
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The Army established Fort Rains (also seen spelled "Raines"), a blockhouse built in October 1855 to defend the
Middle Cascades. The location of this structure was on the north bank of the Columbia at the lower end of the portage around the Cascade Rapids, just above the present location of the
Bonneville Dam and below the Bridge of the Gods and Sheridan Point.
Fort Rains was known as the "Middle Blockhouse".
Fort Rains was named for Major Gabriel Rains, under whose orders the fort was built.
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"... During the previous winter (1855-56), a strong guard had
been on duty at the blockhouse located a mile below the Upper Cascades
landing, which had been erected by Major Rains in the fall of 1855; and
from the name of its builder it had been uniformly but unofficially called
Fort Rains.
..."
[History of the Pacific Northwest
Oregon and Washington 1889]
Fort Rains withstood the 1856 "Cascades Massacre". It was destroyed in 1876. A Memorial Blockhouse was erected near the original location in 1927. That too is gone. Today two informational signs exist near the Fort Rains location.
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Location ...
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Information signs for Fort Rains and the North Bank Railroad.
Image taken February 26, 2005.
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Lewis and Clark and the Fort Rains location ...
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Lewis and Clark's
"Great Shoot" was at the head of a portage located on the Washington side of the Columbia, at
Ashes Lake. The foot of the portage was at the location of Fort Rains. The men camped at the foot of the portage both on their journey to the Pacific in 1805, and the following year on their return back home.
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Campsite of November 1, 1805 ...
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Lewis and Clark had just passed the
"Upper Cascades", an upper section of rapids at Cascade Locks and Bridge of the Gods.
The four large houses appear on the route map (Moulton, vol.1, map#79) to be opposite of Bradford Island, in the area of today's
Bonneville Dam. Moulton places the camp above Bonneville Dam in the vicinity of Fort Rains.
On November 1, 1805, Captain Clark wrote in his journal:
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"... Set all hands packing the loading over th portage which is below the Grand Shutes and is 940 yards of bad way over rocks & on Slipery hill Sides The Indians who came down in 2 Canoes last night packed their fish over a portage of 2 1/2 miles to avoid a 2d Shute. four of them took their canoes over the 1st portage and run the 2d Shute, ... We got all our Canoes and baggage below the Great Shute 3 of the canoes being Leakey from injures recved in hauling them over the rocks, obliged us to delay to have them repaired a bad rapid just below us ..."
[Clark, November 1, 1805, first draft]
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"... Aa verry Cool morning wind hard from the N.E. The Indians who arrived last evining took their Canoes on ther Sholders and Carried them below the Great Shute, we Set about takeing our Small Canoe and all the baggage by land 940 yards of bad Slippery and rockey way The Indiands we discoverd took ther loading the whole length of the portage 2 1/2 miles, to avoid a Second Shute which appears verry bad to pass, and thro' which they passed with their empty canoes. ... we got all our baggage over the Portage of 940 yards, after which we got the 4 large Canoes over by Slipping them over the rocks on poles placed across from one rock to another, and at Some places along partial Streams of the river. in passing those canoes over the rocks &c. three of them recived injuries which obliged us to delay to have them repared. ..."
[Clark, November 1, 1805]
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"... 3 Miles to a large black rock in a Std. Bend at the foot of a sast rapid opposit the lower end of the Island on the Lard. Side, passing a village of 4 large houses at 1 1/2 miles an extensive Stoney bottom on the Stard. Side, the mounts. on the Lard Side high and ruged. passing maney large rocks against which the water beats with great force. Last rapid 7 Miles from the Grand Shute. ..."
[Clark, November 1, 1805, "Course Distance & Remarks Decending the Columbia River from the Lewis's River ..."]
Lewis and Clark's previous campsite was on the Washington side of the Columbia River near
Ashes Lake.
The camp of November 2, 1805, was downstream at Rooster Rock, Oregon.
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Campsite of April 10-11, 1806 ...
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Lewis and Clark's campsite of April 10-11, 1806 is unmarked on any of their maps. It was located at the lower end of the portage around the
"Lower Falls of the Columbia" on the north side, close to the location of their camp of November 1, 1805.
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"... by evening we arrived at the portage on the North side where we landed and conveyed our bagage to the top of the hill about 200 paces distant where we formed a camp. we had the canoes drawn on shore and secured. ..."
[Lewis, April 10, 1806]
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"... by evening we arived at the portage on the N. Side where we landed and Conveyed our baggage to the top of the hill about 200 paces distant where we found a Camp. we had the Canoes drawn on Shore and Secured. ..."
[Clark, April 10, 1806]
Lewis and Clark's previous campsite was on the Oregon side upstream of Tanner Creek. Their camp of April 12, 1806, was on the Washington side near Ashes Lake.
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Columbia River looking downstream from Bridge of the Gods.
View towards Fort Rains location, on right.
Image taken June 15, 2003.
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Columbia River looking downstream from Bridge of the Gods.
Image taken May 13, 2005.
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Fort Rains Blockhouse ...
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Information sign, Forts of the Columbia Rapids.
Image taken April 22, 2006.
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Fort Rains Blockhouse.
Image taken April 22, 2006.
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Fort Rains blockhouse model, Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center ...
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Model, Fort Rains, Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
Note: sign leaning on model is not correct sign.
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Information sign, Fort Rains, Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson, Washington.
Image taken July 15, 2011.
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Fort Rains Memorial Blockhouse ...
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In 1927 a reconstruction of the Fort Rains Blockhouse was built on the banks of the Columbia River.
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"... Work was begun February 9, 1927, on the new memorial blockhouse, Fort Rains, which withstood a siege of hostile Indians during the Cascades battle. The site was donated to the society by Peter Birkeland and wife of Cascades, and P.A. Bredeen of St. Johns, Or. It had been planned to complete and dedicate the blockhouse March 26, the 71st anniversary of the siege, but owing to inclement weather the work was delayed and the new dedication date was announced as May 30. Fort Lugenbeel, the upper Cascades blockhouse, will be erected and dedicated next in order after Fort Rains. the new memorial blockhouses will be converted into public museums at a later date and historical relics will be on display. Many contributions of relics already have been received ...
The original site of Fort Rains was destroyed in 1876 and a new site has been selected near the old one. It is near the point where Sheridan landed his troups in 1856 when he came to the relief of the besieged garrison. The grounds surrounding the restored blockhouse will contain many interesting historic features ...
..."
[Spokane-Review, 1927, article written by Joseph L. Brogan]
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From "The New Washington: A Guide to the Evergreen State, Federal Writers' Project, 1941":
"... FORT RAINS BLOCKHOUSE was rebuilt by the Skamania County Historical Society in 1927 partly from old timbers that formed the structure erected by Major Gabriel Rains after the Indian Wars of 1856 and the Cascades Massacre. A band of Yakima, Klickitat, and Cascade made raids on two white settlements near Bradford Island, March 26, 1856. The besieged settlers withstood attacks for two days, until two forces from The Dalles, Oregon, commanded by Colonel Edward J. Steptoe and Lieutenatnt Phil Sheridan (later General Sheridan of Civil War fame) came to the rescue. ..."
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Penny Postcard: Fort Rains Memorial Blockhouse.
Photo Postcard, Real Photo, Divided Back, "Fort Rains Block House Memorial, Evergreen Highway, Wash.". Wesley Andrews Card #48.
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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- North Bank Railroad ...
- North Bonneville Mural ...
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North Bank Railroad ...
"The North Bank Railroad", "The North Bank Road", "Columbia River Scenic Route", and "The Northwests Own Railway" are all names used to refer to the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway, which was completed in 1908, with a celebration being held at Sheridan Point upstream of the Fort Rains location.
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Information sign for the North Bank Road.
Image taken June 29, 2005.
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Information sign for the North Bank Road.
Caption for the left image reads: "Washington boasts the river's first railraod, which was built in 1851. A wooden cart on wooden rails and pulled by mules, it assisted early settlers around the Columbia's rapids. Despite this early start, modern locomotives were a long time coming."
Caption for the right image reads:
"In a driving rain on March 11, 1908, delighted locals joined dignitaries here at Sheridan's Point to celebrate completion of the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway between Pasco and Vancouver."
Image taken June 29, 2005.
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View across the Columbia River, with the North Bank Railroad tracks.
View taken from the Fort Rains location.
Image taken February 26, 2005.
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North Bonneville Mural ...
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Blockhouse Mural, North Bonneville, Washington.
Image taken January 3, 2012.
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Blockhouse Mural, North Bonneville, Washington.
Image taken January 3, 2012.
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"The Golden Age of Postcards" ...
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The early 1900s was the "Golden Age of Postcards", with the "Penny Postcard" being a popular way to send greetings to family and friends. The postcards now have become a image of history.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, October 31, 1805 ...
Clark, November 1, 1805 ...
Clark, November 2, 1805 ...
Clark, April 10, 1806 ...
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