Oregon City in Clackamas County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)
Willamette Falls, circa 1880
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 25, 2017
1. Willamette Falls, circa 1880 Marker
Inscription.
Willamette Falls, circa 1880. . When travelers arrived at the End of the Oregon Trail, they found Willamette Falls, a natural wonder that attracted both those early settlers and the Native Americans who settled here centuries earlier. For the traditional peoples, the main attraction was fishing, as the falls were an ideal place to harvest salmon - a mainstay of their diet. For new arrivals, making a fresh start in the Oregon country, the Falls represented a potential source for industry. , For both cultures, the Falls created a natural trading area. Many Native Americans tribes came here to fish, harvest lamprey eels and trade with one another. For the new arrivals, since the Falls blocked ship travel, this was the head of navigation, and aspiring traders and shop owners located here to serve the rest of the Willamette Valley.
When travelers arrived at the End of the Oregon Trail, they found Willamette Falls, a natural wonder that attracted both those early settlers and the Native Americans who settled here centuries earlier. For the traditional peoples, the main attraction was fishing, as the falls were an ideal place to harvest salmon - a mainstay of their diet. For new arrivals, making a fresh start in the Oregon country, the Falls represented a potential source for industry.
For both cultures, the Falls created a natural trading area. Many Native Americans tribes came here to fish, harvest lamprey eels and trade with one another. For the new arrivals, since the Falls blocked ship travel, this was the head of navigation, and aspiring traders and shop owners located here to serve the rest of the Willamette Valley.
Location. 45° 21.882′ N, 122° 35.646′ W. Marker is in Oregon City, Oregon, in Clackamas County. Marker can be reached from Washington Street near Abernethy Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1726 Washington Street, Oregon City OR 97045, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. The marker is located near the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center parking lot.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 12, 2018. It was originally submitted on February 12, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 206 times since then and 13 times this year. Photo1. submitted on February 12, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
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