Celilo Falls History ... "dam"ed

[fruittrees]

Oregon, United States
Celilo Falls History ...
For more than 10,000 years, native Americans have lived and fished and traded in the Celilo Falls area. The native peoples had approximately 480 fishing stations in and around Celilo Falls. Fishermen built wooden scaffolds out over the falls and used long-handled dipnets to catch salmon. The men secured themselves to their scaffolds with ropes that they tied around their waists in the event that they were pulled into the river. This changed in 1957 when the rising waters of Lake Celilo, the reservoir behind The Dalles Dam, flooded the spectacular Celilo area and forever buried much of the ancient history of the Columbia Basin. The reservoir waters inundated Celilo Falls, Tenmile Rapids, Fivemile Rapids, and Celilo Village, resulting in the relocation of the community and 36 families.

[Oregon_Nolan]

Great piece of history, Paul! I've always been intrigued by the Columbia and its history.

The river holds so much mystique, both in its native and maritime history!