Vista Point

 Vista Point closer up

Multnomah Falls further down the highway.

Potato Monument

Yesterday a gentleman came into the visitor center and asked if I knew where the potato monument was located.  After he assured me that he wasn't joking, he told me about it.
   Ulyses S Grant was the Quartermaster, (Supply Officer), stationed at the Columbia Barracks in 1852 as a Brevet Captain (Lieutenent) and then later a Captain.   Now when you read the inscription you will understand.

Grant did not have a stellar military career here at Vancouver.  He was separated from his family and was unable to bring them here to be with him.  His unhappiness caused him to take to drinking which did not help either his mood or job performance.  He was transfered to another fort in northern California and then resigned his commission until he was called back for the Civil War.  

Exploring Day

   Wednesday was an exploring day.  A day to forgo projects and look around.  We have been recommending to our visitors at Fort Vancouver that they spend a day and take a trip up the Columbia Gorge.  It was time to take our own advice: both for pleasure and as an information gathering venture.
    Late morning, we drove out I-84 to exit 22, then up the hill through Corbett to Hwy 30 and turned east.  Lots of curves and lots of trees as Hwy 30 travels along the edge of the gorge, when the trees alllow it, providing great views of the Columbia Gorge just to the north. 

First stop was the Women's Forum State Scenic Viewpoint.  In 1912 the Chanticleer Inn was built there to provide food and lodging for overnight travelers. The inn burned down in 1930.  The Portland Women's Forum purchased the property in the 1950s to preserve the viewpoint from commercial exploitation.  I'm glad they did.

   From the spot the you get a good view upriver with Crown Point in the distance.  If you look further upriver into the smoke, you can spot Beacon Rock on the Washington side 20 miles away.

In the second photo the distance gets shorter thanks to the camera's zoom.  The building is lots of fun to visit.  I will write more later and include photos taken there.

Take a day.  Do the drive. 

Back at Home

It's Tuesday morning.  Up early.  Letting the cool morning air come in the den window.  Will soon eat breakfast and get ready to head to the pool for exercise.  Then its home to take on another project.  There's one more door to replace with a bi-fold, the pantry.  The replacement is easy, the refinishing is trickier.  Trying to get the finish to match.  We are not that fond of the woodwork color in this house.  It is similar to what I remember as blond from the 50's and 60's.  Not at all what we would have picked if we had a choice, but when you buy used.................

Remembering a friend from Tahoe

Phillip Foster Farm

    If you have been on Foster Road and wondered where the name came from, go visit the Phillip Foster Farm.  It is a bit of a drive east of town between Estacada and Eagle Creek.  Foster and Barlow were partners in the Barlow Road which was a toll road that brought early settlers around Mt Hood and into the Willamtte Valley without floating down the Columbia.  Foster conviently located a store at the end of the trail to offer supplies to the new settlers.  I thought it was interesting that the Fosters came to the area by sailing around Cape Horn and then coming ashore and traveling to this area.
   The farm is owned by a trust and operated as a museum to demonstrate farm life in that era.  The barn is mortise and tendon construction from the 1860s and is filled with farming and ranching tools and equipment.   Costumed volunteers do demonstrations on some of the items.  Even though the place is not on the beaten path it is open Tues - Sat.  There are upcoming special events, such as an apple cider squeeze coming up so check the webpage.  The original house is gone but the Foster house from 1883 is open for tours. If you notice the large bush that hides the right side of the house, it is a lilac bush that was brought by Mrs Foster on board the ship from the east coast.  So it is over 170 years old.  We purchased a cutting from that heritage Lilac and it will be planted in our yard.
    The farm is both history and education and is worth the pleasant drive into the country.  It was made more pleasurable bacause we found fresh produce on the way home.

the Hoover-Minthorn House

Last Thursday we drove to Newberg for the day.  Had a great lunch and a short walk around the downtown area.  Need to go back.  The highlight of the day was the stop at the Hoover-Milthorn House.  It is the house that Herbert Hoover lived in from 1885 to 1895 with his aunt and uncle John and Laura Minthorn.  The Minthorns were in charge of the Quaker Friends Pacific Academy ( now George Fox University) which he attended.  The structure and the grounds are owned and operated as a museum by the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America which is an organization that I need to do some research on as well.  The tour guide was interesting and we had a good interaction with her soaking in the information.  I would suggest a stop there when you pass through Newberg.   I know very little about President Herbert Hoover, but now I know more.