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Roosevelt, Washington, from Interstate 84, Oregon.
Image taken October 2, 2006.
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Roosevelt ...
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Roosevelt, Washington, is located in Klickitat County on the Washington banks of the Columbia River at River Mile (RM) 242, in T3 R21, Sec.16. Five miles downstream is the orchard community of Sundale and 47 miles upstream is the community of Plymouth. On the Oregon side directly across from Roosevelt is the community of Arlington.
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Early Roosevelt ...
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Roosevelt was named by T.B. Montgomery to honor Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States.
Edmund S. Meany wrote in "Origin of Washington Geographic Names" (1934, University of Washington Press):
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"Roosevelt ... a town on the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway, on the Columbia River, in the southeastern part of Klickitat County. It was named by T.B. Montgomery in honor of Theodore Roosevelt."
Robert Hitchman wrote in "Place Names of Washington" (1985, Washington State Historical Society):
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"Roosevelt (T3N, R21E, Sec.7) ... Village on Columbia River, southeast Klickitat County, opposite Arlington, Oregon. When platted, the town was named by T.B. Montgomery to honor Theodore Roosevelt, 26th president of the United States. Montgomery built stores, hotels and other structures, which he offered rent-free for one year to tenants."
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"Roosevelt, Wash., is the creature of the building of the North Bank railroad down the Columbia River. The first settlers at this place located here in 1906, and were T.B. Montgomery and J.A. Foister. Mr. Montgomery laid out the town, built the Roosevelt Hotel, and secured a postoffice here, of which O.B. Ebi was the first postmaster. Mr. Foister built the schoolhouse here and purchased that hotel from M. Montgomery, and opened it in 1906. The place has a hotel, two general stores, three grain warehouses, blacksmith shop, lumber yard, paint store, barber shop, and livery, operating along with the livery business the stage line for mail, passengers, and express between this place and Bickleton. Roosevelt has ferry connections with Arlington, Ore., giving the people of this side of the river the privilege of transportation over the O.R. & N. railroad. The ferry is run by steam and a very commendable service is maintained throughout the day.
Roosevelt is the rail and river shipping point for a very large and rich country devoted to wheat, cattle, sheep, and some fruit. In the locations where irrigation is possible some of the finest specimens of fruit have been raised that have ever sought an exhibition table. In its very beginning Roosevelt is promising and prosperous, and as the development of the country tributary to it is continued it is bound to grow and become important."
Source:
"Bickleton News", November 25, 1910, courtesy J. Elmer, "rootsweb.com" website, 2015.
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Lewis and Clark and Roosevelt ...
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Lewis and Clark camped twice near Roosevelt. On the night of October 20, 1805, the Corps camped east (upstream) of Roosevelt, downstream of today's grain elevator.
On the night of April 24, 1806, their camp was two miles below their campsite of October 20, 1805. Today this would be at the west (downstream) of Roosevelt and nearly across from Arlington, Oregon.
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Campsite of October 20, 1805 ...
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On the route map (Moulton, vol.1, map#76), Lewis and Clark's camp of October 20, 1805, is marked on the north bank of the Columbia downstream of many islands in the river and upstream of a marked village of 5 lodges, at the upstream tip a narrow strip below the high banks of the Columbia. Today this would be east (upstream) of the community of Roosevelt and downstream of the Grain Elevator.
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"... The river to day is about 1/4 of a mile in width; this evening the Countrey on the Lard. Side rises to the hight of that on the Starboard Side, and is wavering -- we made 42 miles to day; the current much more uniform than yesterday or the day before. ..."
[Clark, October 20, 1805]
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"... A fine clear frosty morning. We set out early; passed along a handsome part of the river ... At noon we came to an Indian camp on the point of a large island, where we stopped ... At 1 o'clock we proceeded on again, went 42 miles, and encamped without any of the natives being along, which is unusual on this river. We could not get a single stick of wood to cook with; and had only a few small green willows. ..."
[Gass, October 20, 1805]
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"... a clear frosty morning. we Set out eairly. proceeded on passed a pleasant part of the County level Smooth plains but no timber. the River Smooth. we Saw Some pilicans and abundance of ravens and crows, as the Shores are lined with dead Sammon. about 12 oClock we halted at a village to dine where we bought a fiew roots &C. and Saw among them a number of articles which came from white people. Such as copper kittles Scarlet &C. passed many rapid places of water. the country continues as yesterday our hunters who went in the small canoe killed nine ducks and a goose to day. we came 46 miles this day. and Camped on the Starbord Side no wood except a fiew Small willows. ..."
[Ordway, October 20, 1805]
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"... The appearance of the Country is the same as Yesterday. Our hunters killed 9 Ducks, & a goose this day in the River. In the evening we encamped on the North side of the River, where we found no other article to make fire with, but small sticks & green Willows. ..."
[Whitehouse, October 20, 1805]
Lewis and Clark's previous campsite was located on the Oregon side near Irrigon, Oregon. Their camp of October 21, 1805, was downstream of today's John Day Dam.
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Grain Elevator, Roosevelt, Washington, as seen from the west, near Lewis and Clark's campsite of October 20, 1805.
Image taken May 24, 2005.
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Campsite of April 24, 1806 ...
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According to Captain Lewis's entry, the campsite of April 24, 1806, was two miles below their campsite of October 20, 1805. Today this would be at the west (downstream) of Roosevelt and nearly across from Arlington, Oregon. The route map (Moulton, vol.1, map#77) shows the camp near a village of five lodges.
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"... we proceeded up the river between the hills and it's Northen shore. the road was rocky and sandy alternately, the road difficult and fatieguing. at 12 ms. we arrived at a village of 5 lodges of the Met-cow-wes, having passed 4 lodges at 4 and 2 Ms. further.
we ramined all night near the Met-cow-we lodges about 2 miles below our encampment of the [blank] of October last; ..."
[Lewis, April 24, 1806]
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"... at 1 P.M. Set out and proceeded on through a open Countrey rugid & Sandy between Some high lands and the river to a village of 5 Lodges of the Met-cow-we band haveing passed 4 Lodges at 4 miles and 2 Lodges at 6 miles. ... made 12 miles to day."
[Clark, April 24, 1806]
"... At 2 o'clock we all started by land on the north side of the river ... We entered the low country, the great and beautiful plains of Columbia, and proceeded on till evening when we encamped at two mat-lodges of the natives ..."
[Gass, April 24, 1806]
Lewis and Clark's previous camp was located near the mouth of Rock Creek, Washington, and their camp of April 25, 1806, was near Alderdale, Washington.
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Views ...
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Roosevelt grain elevator as seen from Arlington, Oregon.
Image taken September 24, 2004.
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Roosevelt, Washington, as seen from Arlington, Oregon.
Image taken September 24, 2004.
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- Mount Hood from Roosevelt ...
- North Bank Road ...
- Roosevelt Park ...
- Roosevelt to Arlington Ferry ...
- Roosevelt Treaty Fishing Access Site, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission ...
- Wood Creek and Wood Gulch ...
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Mount Hood, Oregon, from Roosevelt, Washington ...
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Mount Hood, Oregon, as seen from Roosevelt, Washington.
View taken from west of town.
Image taken May 24, 2005.
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North Bank Road ...
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The Great Northern Railway and Northern Pacific Railroad, competitors in the transcontinental business, launched the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway in 1905 and built a line along the north side of the Columbia River. This line was known as "The North Bank Railroad", "The North Bank Road", "Columbia River Scenic Route", and "The Northwests Own Railway". The tracks were started in October 1905 and completed in February 1908, with a celebration being held on March 11th at Sheridan Point upstream of the Fort Rains Blockhouse location. On March 19th, regular passenger service between Vancouver and Pasco was begun. The journey took eight hours.
STATIONS ON THE NORTH BANK
Between Vancouver and Pasco There Will Be 43 Stops.
"LYLE, Wash., July 24, 1907. -- (Special.) -- Chief Surgeon Irvine, of the North Bank Road says there will be 43 stations about five miles apart on the line between Vancouver and Pasco. From west to east the stations will appear on the new map as Image, Fisher, Bourne, Seal, Cruzatt, Butler, Cascades, Stevenson, Ash, Collins, Cooks, Hood, Bingen, Villa, Lyle, Skadat, Grandalles, Spedis, Avery, Timms, Columbus, Cliffs, Towal, Harbin, Fountain, Sanda, Roosevelt, Moonax, McCredie, Carley, Luzon, Sage, Patterson, Coolide, Gravel, Plymouth, Colbia, Mottinger, Tomar, Yellepit, Hoover and Finley. He also reports the track is being blasted as fast as laid."
Source:
"Morning Oregonian", July 25, 1907, courtesy Historic Oregon Newspapers Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, 2019.
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[More]
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Roosevelt Park ...
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Roosevelt Park is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers park located on the west side of the town of Roosevelt, Washington. The Washington side of the Arlington-Roosevelt Ferry was located at Roosevelt Park.
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Roosevelt Park, Roosevelt, Washington.
Image taken May 24, 2005.
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Roosevelt Park, once the location of the Arlington-Roosevelt Ferry, as seen from downstream Arlington, Oregon.
The Washington side of the Arlington-Roosevelt Ferry across the Columbia River was located at Roosevelt Park.
Image taken September 26, 2004.
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Roosevelt to Arlington Ferry ...
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A ferry once connected Arlington, Oregon with Roosevelt, Washington. The Washington side of the ferry was located at today's Roosevelt Park.
From the 1942 U.S. Department of Commerce and Labor Coast and Geodetic Survey's "United State Coast Pilot, Pacific Coast", Serial No.649:
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"Four ferries cross the Columbia River above The Dalles as follows: Biggs-Merryhill, 16 statute miles; Arlington-Roosevelt, 50 statute miles; Boulder-Alderdale, 65 statute miles; and Irrigon-Coolidge, 88 statute miles."
A passage from the 1940 publication "Oregon, End of the
Trail", by the Works Projects Administration (WPA) of the State of Oregon:
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"... The Arlington Ferry (cars, $1 ; round trip, $1.50) makes connections with Roosevelt, Wash. ..."
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Roosevelt Treaty Fishing Access Site, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission ...
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All four Columbia River treaty tribes enjoy fishing rights along the Columbia from the Bonneville to McNary dams. This 147-mile stretch of the river is called Zone 6.
The Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) operates and maintains 31 fishing sites (2015, Note: the website map only shows 30 sites) in Zone 6. These sites were set aside by Congress to provide fishing locations to Indian fishers whose traditional fishing grounds were inundated behind dams.
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"For fisheries management purposes, the 292-mile stretch of the Columbia River that creates the border between Washington and Oregon is divided into six zones. Zones 1-5 are between the mouth of the river and Bonneville Dam, a distance of 145 miles. Oregon and Washington manage the commercial fisheries that occur in these zones. Zone 6 is an exclusive treaty Indian commercial fishing area. This exclusion is for commercial fishing only. Non-commercial sports fishers may still fish in this stretch of the river."
[Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission website, 2016]
The Zone 6 sites include
19 Treaty Fishing Access sites
(Bonneville,
Wyeth,
White Salmon,
Stanley Rock,
Lyle,
Dallesport,
Celilo,
Maryhill,
Rufus,
Preacher's Eddy,
North Shore,
LePage Park,
Pasture Point,
Roosevelt Park,
Pine Creek,
Threemile Canyon,
Alderdale,
Crow Butte,
and Faler Road),
five "In-lieu" sites
(Cascade Locks,
Wind River,
Cooks,
Underwood, and
Lone Pine),
two "Shared-use" sites
(Avery and
Sundale Park, for both Tribal use and Public use),
and four "Unimproved" sites with no services
(Goodnoe,
Rock Creek,
Moonay,
and
Aldercreek).
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Wood Creek and Wood Gulch ...
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Wood Gulch is a narrow canyon which rises through the hills above Roosevelt, Washington. Wood Creek, a perennial stream, runs through Wood Gulch.
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Wood Gulch, Roosevelt, Washington, as seen from downstream Arlington, Oregon.
Roosevelt lies to the west (left), out of the picture, while North Roosevelt is visible on the right.
Image taken September 24, 2004.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, October 20, 1805 ...
Ordway, October 20, 1805 ...
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a clear frosty morning. we Set out eairly. proceeded on passed a pleasant part of the County level Smooth plains but no timber. the River Smooth. we Saw Some pilicans and abundance of ravens and crows, as the Shores are lined with dead Sammon. about 12 oClock we halted at a village to dine where we bought a fiew roots &C. and Saw among them a number of articles which came from white people. Such as copper kittles Scarlet &C. passed many rapid places of water. the country continues as yesterday our hunters who went in the small canoe killed nine ducks and a goose to day. we came 46 miles this day. and Camped on the Starbord Side [near Roosevelt, Washington] no wood except a fiew Small willows.
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Whitehouse, October 20, 1805 ...
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The appearance of the Country is the same as Yesterday. Our hunters killed 9 Ducks, & a goose this day in the River. In the evening we encamped on the North side of the River, where we found no other article to make fire with, but small sticks & green Willows. We saw this day among the Natives, some Acorns, which they roasted & Eat, and some red Cloth, which appeared not to be long Imported from Europe.—
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Clark, April 24, 1806 ...
rose early this morning [their camp near Rock Creek, Washington] and Sent out after the horses ...
we purchased 3 horses, and hired 3 others of the Chopunnish man who accompanies us with his family, and at 1 P. M. Set out and proceeded on through a open Countrey rugid & Sandy between Some high lands and the river to a village of 5 Lodges of the Met-cow-we band haveing passed 4 Lodges at 4 miles and 2 Lodges at 6 miles.
Great numbers of the nativs pass us on hors back maney meet us and Continued with us to the Lodges.
we purchased 3 dogs which were pore, but the fattest we Could precure, and Cooked them with Straw and dry willow. we Sold our Canoes for a fiew Strands of beeds. the nativs had tantelized us with an exchange of horses for our Canoes in the first instance, but when they found that we had made our arrangements to travel by land they would give us nothing for them. we Sent Drewyer to Cut them up, he Struck one and Split her they discovered that we were deturmined to destroy the Canoes and offered us Several Strans of beeds which were acceptd most of the party Complain of their feet and legs this evening being very Sore. it is no doubt Causd. by walking over the rough Stone and deep Sand after being accustomed to a Soft Soil. my legs and feet give me much pain. I bathed them in Cold water from which I experienced Considerable relief. we directed that the 3 horses purchased yesterday should be hobbled and confined to pickquets and that the others Should be Hobbled & Spancled, and Strictly attended to by the guard made 12 miles to day.— [camped downstream of Roosevelt, Washington, and across from Arlington, Oregon]
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