Near Underwood in Skamania County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)
Broughton Flume
A Man-made Waterway
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 12, 2020
1. Broughton Flume Marker
Captions: (bottom left) Drano Flume and Lumber Company used 16-foot sections of Douglas fir to build the flume which they sold to Harold Broughton in 1927. The five-man crew worked full-time to keep it in good repair. Last of its kind in the United States, the flume was partially dismantled and auctioned to the public.; (bottom center) Buckets of salmon eggs; (middle right) The Willard Mill could process 150,000 board-feet in a 19-hour work day. Rough sawn "cants" eight to twelve feet long road the nine mile trough, a descent of 1,000 feet in 55 minutes to the lower mill.
In the early 1900s, lush evergreen forests covered the rugged mountains on either side of the Columbia River, providing a wealths of fuel and building material. In this steep, wet country, water was a perfect conveyance. Sawmills were located in the forest, several miles from the Columbia River. There, massive logs were cut into beams called "cants," then splashed into water-filled flumes, where gravity brought the cargo to the riverside finishing mill below.
Across Drano Lake, you may still see the ruins of the Broughton Lumber Company's flume. Built in 1923, it transported lumber until the firm closed its inland mill at Willard in 1986.
Columbia River salmon returned from the ocean to spawn in such numbers that settlers arriving in the 1840s scarcely believed their eyes. Habitat destruction and the increase of of commercial harvest to supply canneries along the river quickly depleted the river's swimming wealth. Within fifty years, salmon populations dwindled. The Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery, established in 1896 to rebuild salmon
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Erected by Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce • Man-Made Features • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1923.
Location. 45° 42.635′ N, 121° 38.361′ W. Marker is near Underwood, Washington, in Skamania County. Marker is on Lewis and Clark Highway (Washington Route 14) near Cook-Underwood Road, on the right when traveling east. The marker is located at the Drano Lake Boat Ramp. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Underwood WA 98651, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Hood River County Library (approx. 6 miles away in Oregon); Hood River Post Office (approx. 6 miles away in Oregon); First National Bank (approx. 6.1 miles away in Oregon); Butler Bank (approx. 6.1 miles away in Oregon); Hood River Banking & Trust Company (approx. 6.1 miles away in Oregon); E.L. Smith Building (approx. 6.1 miles away in Oregon); LaFrance Building (approx. 6.1 miles away in Oregon); Keir Medical Building (approx. 6.1 miles away in Oregon).
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 12, 2020
2. Broughton Flume Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on October 18, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 18, 2020, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 186 times since then and 67 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 18, 2020, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
