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Looking towards the Columbia River Gorge, Crown Point, and Vista House.
View from The Portland Womans Forum Scenic View (formerly Chanticleer Point).
Image taken October 11, 2004.
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Vista House ...
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The Vista House was built in 1916 at the same time as the Columbia River Highway - today known as the
Historic Columbia River Highway.
It is still the only route to
Crown Point.
The official opening of the Columbia River Highway (from Portland to Hood River)
was on June 6, 1916. The dedication took place at Crown Point, 733 feet above the Columbia River.
Construction of Vista House began that same year.
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Crown Point and Vista House.
View from the Portland Womans Forum Scenic Overlook.
Image taken October 10, 2004.
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Vista House, 1917.
Automobiles once dropped ladies off at this lower entrance in order to visit the lounge on the lower level of Vista House.
Image taken October 11, 2004.
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Vista House at Crown Point.
Image taken March 6, 2005.
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Vista House History ...
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The construction of Vista House was completed by Multnomah County, under the direction of John B. Yeon, Multnomah
County roadmaster. Plans for the interior decorations were furnished by Samuel Lancaster. Total cost of the Vista House
construction was approximately $100,000. The dedication of Vista House took place on May 5, 1918
(See "The Golden Age of Postcards" below).
Vista House was designed to be a place of refreshment and enjoyment of the Columbia Gorge. The octagonal building with its copper dome now houses a museum, gift shop and interpretive display of historic and geologic points of interest in the Gorge. The architect of the Vista House was Edgar Lazarus, brother to Emma Lazarus who wrote the poem of the Statue of Liberty.
In 1974 Vista House was added to the National Register of Historic Places (Building #74001705). In the mid-2000s Vista House was rennovated and opened for visitors in the summer of 2005.
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Outside ...
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Vista House is considered "Art Nouveau" and is approximately 44 feet in diameter and 55 feet high. The foundation was crafted by Italian craftsmen in the Italian-style "dry masonry" technique, without use of cement or mortar.
The outside of Vista House is faced with light gray sandstone and the roof is covered with glazed green tiles. The windows are made of amber-green opalescent art glass. Interior stairways lead to a observation walkway around the structure.
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Vista House and Crown Point.
Image taken June 27, 2004.
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Vista House.
Image taken June 27, 2004.
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Vista House roof detail.
Image taken June 27, 2004.
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Vista House window detail.
Image taken June 27, 2004.
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Inside ...
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In 2006 with restoration done, Vista House was once again open to the public. The interior rotunda rises above the visitor showing off the windows and dome. Most of the interior of the rotunda is light cream and pink Kasota limestone. The windows are amber-green opalescent art glass. The inside of the rotunda dome and its supporting "ribs" are painted to simulate the marble and bronze originally planned for the building. Eight Native American faces (2 each of 4 different individuals) are atop the columns in the rotunda. These were cast in plaster and gilded. Their identity is unknown. Between these columns are carved stone memorials depicting native plants, and carved with a shield bearing the name of early Oregon pioneers. The floors and stairs in the rotunda and wainscoting in the basement are made of Tokeen Alaskan marble. Stairways lead up to a walk-around-look-at-the-view balcony or down to the sub-level which houses a small museum, gift shop, and restrooms.
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Inside Vista House.
Image taken October 21, 2006.
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Window, inside Vista House.
Image taken October 21, 2006.
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Inside Vista House.
Four different gilded plaster Indian heads adorn the eight columns inside the rotunda. They are unidentified.
Image taken October 21, 2006.
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Stone carving, with shield bearing the name "Applegate".
Image taken October 21, 2006.
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Rotunda ceiling, inside Vista House.
Image taken October 21, 2006.
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Views of Vista House ...
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Pullouts along Washington State Highway 14, west of the Cape Horn Viewpoint, provide spectacular views of Vista House and Crown Point. On the Oregon side great views of Vista House can be had from the next ridge downstream, Chanticleer Point, home of the Portland Women's Forum Scenic Viewpoint.
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Vista House, Crown Point, Oregon, as seen from Washington State Highway 14.
Image taken, June 19, 2005.
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Crown Point and Vista House.
View from Portland's Woman Forum Scenic View (formerly Chanticleer Point).
Image taken October 22, 2005.
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Vista House from Chanticleer Point.
Bonneville Dam complex is visible in the background.
Image taken September 23, 2006.
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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.
Today the Penny Postcard has become a snapshot of history.
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Penny Postcard: Aerial view, Crown Point and Vista House, Oregon, with Crown Point Chalet, ca.1920.
Penny Postcard, ca.1920, "Vista House - Crown Point 'On the Columbia River Highway'."
Building on the right is the "Crown Point Chalet", which was built in 1915 and closed in 1927. The building was demolished in the 1950s. Between Vista House and the Crown Point Chalet is
"Gardiner's Cafe". Gardiner’s Cafe opened in 1922 as Johnson’s Confectionary. In later years it was known as Vista Cafe. It was torn down by the Forest Service in 1963.
Photo by A.M. Prentiss. Published by The Rose City News Co., Portland, Oregon. Card #7.
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Penny Postcard: Crown Point and Vista House, Oregon, ca.1930.
Penny Postcard, ca.1930, "Crown Point and Vista House, Columbia River Highway, Oregon". Caption on back reads: "Crown Point 25.5 miles from Portland, Oregon. A view of 35 miles both East and West can be seen from Vista House." Copyright Cross & Dimmitt. Published by Angelus Commercial Studio, Portland, Oregon. Card #2.
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Penny Postcard: Vista House Dedication, May 5, 1918.
Penny Postcard, May 5, 1918, "Vista House, Columbia River Highway, Oregon." Published by The Oregon News, Portland, Oregon. Card #17.
Caption on back reads: "Vista House, Columbia River Highway, Ore., Erected in 1917 at a cost of over $100,000. Finished on the inside with marble. Used for an Observatory and Comfort station. From this point one gets a beautiful view of hte Columbia River for 25 to 40 miles.".
The dedication of Vista House was May 5, 1918. Portland's Royal Rosarians can be seen dressed in white.
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Penny Postcard: Vista House, Crown Point, Oregon, 1918.
Penny Postcard, Copyright 1918, "Vista House, Columbia River Highway, Ore." Image copyright 1918 by Angelus Studio, #13751. Published by The Oregon News Co., Portland, Oregon. Card #45. In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Penny Postcard: Vista House, Crown Point, Oregon, ca.1920.
Penny Postcard, ca.1920, "Crown Point and Vista House, Columbia River Highway, Oregon." Published by The Oregon News Co., Portland, Oregon. Card #13761. In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Penny Postcard: Vista House, Crown Point, Oregon, ca.1927.
Penny Postcard, ca.1927, "Vista House at Crown Point, Columbia River Highway." Wesley Andrews #759. Postcard appears re-printed, caption on back reads "Vista House at Crown Point, 1927". In the private collection of Lyn Topinka. |
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Penny Postcard: Vista House, Crown Point, Oregon, ca.1943.
Penny Postcard, Postmarked 1943, "Vista House, Columbia River Highway, Oregon." The Crown Point Chalet is visible in the background on the right above Vista House. Image copyright Angelus Studio. Published by Wesley Andrews Co., Portland, Oregon. Card #859. Card is postmarked August 18, 1943.
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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MORE Penny Postcards of Crown Point and Vista House
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Views from Vista House ...
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Rooster Rock State Park, Oregon, and Cape Horn, Washington, as seen from Vista House, Crown Point, Oregon.
Image taken October 11, 2004.
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Columbia River, looking upstream, as seen from Crown Point, Oregon.
Rooster Rock State Park and Youngs Creek are on the right. Beacon Rock, Phoca Rock, and Cape Horn are all visible.
Image taken March 6, 2005.
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Columbia River Gorge, looking upstream, as seen from Vista House, Crown Point, Oregon. The Historic Columbia River Highway is in the foreground.
Image taken October 10, 2004.
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Columbia River Gorge, looking upstream, as seen from Vista House, Crown Point, Oregon. The Historic Columbia River Highway is in the foreground.
Image taken June 27, 2004.
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Columbia River Gorge, looking upstream, as seen from Vista House, Crown Point, Oregon. The Historic Looking at the Columbia River Highway in the foreground and Youngs Creek (Shepperds Dell) on the lower right. Sand Island is in the middle ground with Dalton Point jutting into the Columbia. Phoca Rock is just visible on the left and Beacon Rock is in the background.
Image taken October 21, 2006.
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Steigerwald Lake and Point Vancouver, as seen from
Vista House, Crown Point, Oregon.
The Historic Columbia River Highway is in the foreground.
Image taken June 27, 2004.
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Rooster Rock State Park, Oregon, as seen from Vista House, Crown Point, Oregon.
Image taken October 10, 2004.
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Reed Island, Washington, as seen from Crown Point, Oregon.
Steigerwald Lake NWR is in the distance (right) on the Washington shore. Rooster Rock State Park, Oregon, is in the foreground.
Image taken October 11, 2004.
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View downstream from Vista House.
View shows Tunnel Point, Reed Island, and Cottonwood Point behind Reed Island. Interstate 84 is in the foreground below the lighting fixture from the Historic Columbia River Highway.
Image taken October 21, 2006.
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Tunnel Point and Onion Rock, from Crown Point, Oregon.
View from Vista House, Crown Point, Oregon.
Image taken March 6, 2005.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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