Click image to enlarge
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Willow Creek, Oregon, from Washington State Highway 14.
Image taken May 24, 2005.
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Willow Creek ...
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Willow Creek lies on the Oregon side of the Columbia River at River Mile (RM) 252.5. Ten miles upstream is the historic site of Castle Rock and sixteen miles upstream is the city of Boardman. Nine miles downstream is the city of Arlington. Across the Columbia in Washington State lies Alder Creek.
Lewis and Clark passed by Willow Creek on October 20, 1805.
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"... a riverlit falls in on the Lard. Side behind a Small Island a Small rapid below ..."
[Clark, October 20, 1805]
Today the mouth of Willow Creek is flooded by the waters of Lake Umatilla, the reservoir behind the John Day Dam.
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Willow Creek, Oregon, from Interstate 84.
Image taken September 25, 2005.
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Click image to enlarge
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Willow Creek, Oregon, from Interstate 84.
View looking upstream at backwaters of the Columbia flooding the mouth of Willow Creek.
Image taken September 29, 2006.
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Heppner Junction ...
The Union Pacific station of Heppner Junction is located at the mouth of Willow Creek. Heppner Junction was once the turnoff for the Union Pacific tracks heading into the city of Heppner. The line was in operation between 1889 and 1994, when it was closed as being non-profitable, and section of track were demolished.
Today Heppner Junction is the starting place for the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway, with the turnoff at Oregon Highway 74, just west of Heppner Junction and Willow Creek. The highway joins and then follows Willow Creek within a few miles.
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Heppner Junction, Oregon, from Interstate 84.
Image taken September 29, 2006.
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Willow Creek and Heppner Junction in 1940 ...
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From the Oregon State Archives "A 1940 Journey Across Oregon":
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HEPPNER JUNCTION, ... (241 alt.), distinguished by an airplane beacon
on the cliff (L), is the junction of the Union Pacific Railroad main line
with its Heppner branch, as well as the junction of US 30 with State 74.
Left from Heppner junction on State 74 through a narrow rimrock walled
cleft up Willow Creek. Rust colored, basaltic cliffs are in vivid contrast
with emerald green alfalfa fields, sub irrigated by gravity flow of water
from Willow and its tributary creeks, and from underground springs. As the
route continues into the gradually rising country, wheat fields roll away
to the benchlands on either side of the highway.
During gold rush days, miners traveling from lower Columbia River points
to the Idaho and John Day mining districts, passed through Willow Creek
Valley, hastening south by way of Dixie Creek and the forks of the John
Day River. Processions of Columbia River Indians followed this road, to
bunt deer, pick berries, and camp in the Blue Mountains, returning down
the creek for the salmon fishing at Celilo.
At 15.1 m. is a junction with a gravel road; L here 0.5 m. to CECIL (618 alt., 15 pop.), by the Oregon Trail crossing of Willow Creek. The settlement was an important stage station. The WELL, where travelers obtained drinking water for themselves and their teams, remains at the center of the village street.
..."
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Willow Creek and the Oregon Trail ...
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The Oregon trail wagons crossed Willow Creek, approximately 15 miles upstream, near the town of Cecil.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, October 20, 1805 ...
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A cool morning wind S. W. we concluded to delay untill after brackfast which we were obliged to make on the flesh of dog. after brackfast we gave all the Indian men Smoke, and we Set out leaveing about 200 of the nativs at our Encampment [near Irrigon, Oregon]; passd. three Indian Lodges on the Lard Side a little below our Camp [Irrigon, Oregon] which lodges <we> I did not discover last evening, passed a rapid at Seven miles one at a Short distance below we passed a verry bad rapid, a chane or rocks makeing from the Stard. Side and nearly Chokeing the river up entirely with hugh black rocks [Lewis and Clark called these rapids "Pelican Rapids"] an Island below close under the Stard. Side on which was four Lodges of Indians drying fish,- here I Saw a great number of pelicons on the wing, and black Comerants [American White Pelicans and Double-crested Cormorants]. at one oClock we landed on the lower point of <Some> an Island at Some Indian Lodges, a large Island on the Stard Side nearly opposit and a Small one a little below on the Lard Side on those three Island I counted Seventeen Indian Lodges,
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[Lewis and Clark are passing through the Blalock Islands area. Today most of the islands are beneath the waters of Lake Umatilla, the reservoir behind the John Day Dam. In this vicinity are today's Boardman, Whitcomb Island, Canoe Ridge, slightly downstream is Crow Butte and historic Castle Rock, along with the many lands of the Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge.]
after diner we proceeded on to a bad rapid at the lower point of a Small Island on which four Lodges of Indians were Situated drying fish; here the high countrey Commences again on the Stard. Side [Alder Ridge] leaveing a vallie of 40 miles in width, from the mustle Shel rapid [Umatilla Rapids at the McNary Dam]. examined and passed this rapid close to the Island at 8 miles lower passed a large Island near the middle of the river a brook on the Stard. Side [Alder Creek] and 11 Islds. all in view of each other below, a riverlit [Willow Creek] falls in on the Lard. Side behind a Small Island a Small rapid below. The Star Side is high rugid hills [Alder Ridge], the Lard. Side a low plain and not a tree to be Seen in any Direction except a fiew Small willow bushes which are Scattered partially on the Sides of the bank
The river to day is about 1/4 of a mile in width; this evening the Countrey on the Lard. Side [area around Arlington, Oregon] rises to the hight of that on the Starboard Side [ridge above Roosevelt], and is wavering- we made 42 <days> miles to day [to Roosevelt, Washington]; the current much more uniform than yesterday or the day before. Killed 2 Speckle guls Severl. ducks of a delicious flavour.
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