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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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Reed Island ...
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Reed Island, Washington, is a two and one-half-mile long, 508-acre island in the middle of the Columbia River, at River Mile (RM) 124.5, just upstream of Lady Island, and the Washington communities of Camas and Washougal. The downstream point of Reed Island is across from Cottonwood Beach and
Cottonwood Point, and the upper end of the island is across from Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Another half mile upstream on the Washington side is Point Vancouver, the highest point Lieutenant Broughton journeyed in 1792, and named after the expedition commander Captain George Vancouver.
On the Oregon side of the Columbia River is
Tunnel Point. Good views of Reed Island can be had from Vista House at Crown Point, Oregon
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Reed Island State Park ...
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Reed Island is an undeveloped Washington State Park, accessible only by boat; ammenities include primitive camp sites, picnic tables, and a short hiking trail.
Reed Island supports one of the largest great blue heron rookeries in the Pacific Northwest. In 2002, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife reported 84 nests surveyed with 82 being active.
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Early Reed Island ...
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Reed Island was named after William Reed who had property on the island.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records, show a William H. H. Reed being issued a land title on October 26, 1892, for 103.8 acres of parts of T1N R4E Section 23 (Reed Island and parts of the Washington shore), under the 1820 "Sale-Cash Entry".
Reed Island was once called "Vancouver Island", after Point Vancouver, the farthest upstream that Lieutenant Broughton (of the George Vancouver Expedition) journeyed. Point Vancouver lies on the mainland just north of Reed Island. Other names in use for Reed Island have been "Reed's Island" and "Willow Island".
The 1841 Wilkes Expedition called the island "Vancouver I.".
In 1900 James McGowan operated a seining grounds at/near Reed Island.
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"Fishermen claim this has been the poorest season for salmon the upper river has ever known ... but the high price paid for fish has enabled the seiners to make some money above expenses. James McGowan, of Reed's Island, and Rich Latourell's ground, near Oneonta, have been making very good catches since the river began to recede."
["The Morning Astorian", July 27, 1900, courtesy Historic Oregon Newspapers Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, 2018]
The 1902 U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey's "Columbia River, Vancouver to Reed Island, Sheet 7" has Reed Island labeled "Reed Island".
A ca.1922 Clark County platt map shows Reed Island labeled as "Willow Isl.".
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Views from Airliner ...
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Columbia River with Reed Island, as seen from airliner landing at PDX.
Day overcast and drizzly.
Cottonwood Point is directly behind the western (left) end of Reed Island.
Image taken October 10, 2010.
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The Columbia River looking towards Washington State. Islands in the Columbia River are (left to right):
a marshy un-named "island", Gary Island, Flag Island, and Reed Island (the long island off the Washington shore). Chatham Island lies close to the Oregon shore and is not visible in this image. Also shows Steigerwald Lake NWR behind Reed Island. View from airliner heading towards PDX.
Mid afternoon, clouds, gray, and drizzle.
Image taken April 24, 2012.
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View from Historic Columbia River Highway ...
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Steigerwald Lake NWR, Washington, as seen from the Historic Columbia River Highway, Oregon.
View from HCRH west of Vista House.
Image taken March 30, 2015.
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Steigerwald Lake NWR, Washington, as seen from the Historic Columbia River Highway, Oregon.
Reed Island, Cottonwood Point, Steigerwald Lake NWR, and Point Vancouver.
View from HCRH west of Vista House.
Image taken March 30, 2015.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, November 3, 1805 ...
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