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Shellrock Mountain, Oregon, as seen from Starvation Creek State Park, Oregon.
Interstate 84 is in the foreground.
Image taken September 24, 2004.
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Shell Rock, Oregon ...
Shell Rock, Oregon, Post Office was established April 14, 1873, in the vicinity of Shellrock Mountain. The Post Office was later moved across the Columbia into Washington Territory and re-named "Collins Landing". Briefly, in 1878, a second Shell Rock Post Office was established in Oregon. According to Oregon Geographic Names (McArthur and McArthur, 2003):
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"Shell Rock post office was in operation again on the Oregon side between May 20 and August 19, 1878, whith John Cates postmaster. Castes, of a well-known Wasco County family, operated a sawmill a couple of miles west of the present site of Wyeth. The post office was apparently reestablished to serve people connected with the Cates mill. It was about three miles west of Shellrock Mountain but named for that feature nevertheless."
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Shellrock Mountain ...
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Oregon and Shellrock Mountain from Home Valley Park, Home Valley, Washington.
Image taken August 27, 2005.
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Shellrock Mountain Geology ...
There are several "Shellrock" mountains in Oregon. According to Oregon Geographic Names (McArthur and McArthur, 2003):
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"Mountains of this name are so called because the rock of which they are composed breaks off in platy chunks and piles up in long slopes, like shelled corn."
From Tolan and Beeson (1984):
Shellrock Mountain, along with
Wind Mountain, Washington and Government Cove, Oregon (approximately 4 miles downstream), is a microdioritic intrusion. Fragments of Columbia River basalt (xenoliths) have been found in almost all of these intrusives, indicating they are younger than the Columbia River basalt (specifically, Grande Ronde Basalt).
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"Most geologists who have studied these intrusions believe that magma from them reached the surface and formed volcanic edifices that were subsequently removed by erosion."
[Tolan and Beeson, 1984]
From Norman, et.al. (2004):
Shellrock Mountain and Wind Mountain are granodiorite porphyry intrusions, with Shellrock Mountain's platy rubble at a repose angle of 42 degrees, making it a major obstacle to early road building through the Gorge.
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Interstate 84 at Shellrock Mountain.
Barrier on right keeps Shellrock Mountain rock off of Interstate 84.
Image taken September 29, 2006
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Mount Talapus ...
According to H.H. Riddell, in his article
"The Lesser Waterfalls Along the Columbia" (Mazama, December 1916, vol.V, no.1, p.85-86):
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"... Shellrock mountain near the sources of Tanner and McCord creeks was
renamed Mt. Talapus after the legendary deity of the Indians. ..."
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Views ...
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Shellrock Mountain, Oregon (left), and Wind Mountain, Washington (right).
Image taken July 5, 2003.
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Shellrock Mountain, Oregon, from Wind Mountain, Washington.
Remnants of an old wagon road can be on the side of Shellrock Mountain, lower left.
Image taken May 10, 2006.
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Shellrock Mountain, Oregon, from Home Valley Park, Home Valley, Washington.
Image taken August 27, 2005.
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In the rain, Shellrock Mountain, Oregon, and Interstate 84.
Image taken October 2, 2005.
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The Dalles and Sandy Wagon Road ...
Historic Columbia River Highway ...
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"The Dalles and Sandy Wagon Road" ...
The The Dalles and Sandy Wagon Road was authorized by the Oregon Legislature in 1872 and appropriation made for its construction. Portions of the old dry masonry retaining wall may still be seen on Shellrock Mountain, a hundred feet or so above the Columbia Highway.
[More]
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Remnant of the old Wagon Road on Shellrock Mountain, Oregon.
View from Wind Mountain, Washington, looking south towards Oregon, with the Columbia River and Interstate 84 in the foreground.
Image taken May 10, 2006.
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Historic Columbia River Highway ...
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Penny Postcard: The Columbia River Highway at Shellrock Mountain, Oregon.
Penny Postcard, Real Photo, Sepia, Divided Back (1907-1915), "At Shell Mountain, Columbia River Highway.".
Postmarked August 9, 1937.
Published by The Oregon News Co., Portland, Oregon.
Card No.26.
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Penny Postcard: The Columbia River Highway at Shellrock Mountain, Oregon.
Penny Postcard, Real Photo, Sepia, Divided Back (1907-1915), "At the foot of Shell Rock Mountain, Columbia River Highway, Oregon.".
Postmarked September 25, 1945.
B.C. Markham, Portland, Ore.
Card #54.
Card #13760.
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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Path (behind barrier) of the Historic Columbia River Highway at Shellrock Mountain, Oregon.
View seen from heading east on Interstate 84. Rain drops on window.
Image taken June 12, 2012.
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Path (behind barrier) of the Historic Columbia River Highway at Shellrock Mountain, Oregon.
View seen from heading east on Interstate 84.
Image taken June 15, 2013.
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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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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, October 30, 1805 ...
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