Oregon's Historic Sites
Oregon is home to a diverse array of historic sites that reflect its rich cultural and technological heritage. Among these, the Bonneville Dam Historic District stands out as an engineering marvel, constructed in the 1930s to harness the Columbia River for hydroelectric power. It includes significant structures such as the No. 1 Powerhouse and Fishway, showcasing the intersection of science and technology in the state’s development. The Jacksonville Historic District, founded as a mining town in 1852, is notable for its well-preserved commercial and residential buildings, offering insights into Oregon’s western expansion.
Additionally, the Lightship Wal-604 "Columbia", located in Astoria, represents naval history and the evolution of lighthouse technology, being the last of its kind on the Pacific Coast. The Sunken Village Archaeological Site in Portland provides a glimpse into Native American history, preserving the remains of a Chinook settlement that thrived through complex trade and a sophisticated hunter-gatherer economy. Lastly, the Wallowa Lake Site serves as a significant cultural landscape for the Nez Perce people, highlighting ongoing connections to ancestral traditions. These sites collectively offer valuable perspectives on Oregon's past and its cultural diversity.
Oregon's Historic Sites
Bonneville Dam Historic District
Location: Columbia River, Bonneville, Multnomah County (also in Washington)
Relevant issues: Science and technology
Statement of significance: Built in the 1930s by the federal government to raise and divert the Columbia River to generate hydroelectric power, the dam represented a unique engineering challenge for a diversion/overflow dam; it was the first major structure built with a “hydraulic drop” capable of developing more than 500,000 kilowatts of electric power. Other structures in the district are the No. 1 Powerhouse, the Navigation Lock, the Fishways, and the Fish Hachery.
Jacksonville Historic District
Location: Jacksonville, Jackson County
Relevant issues: Western expansion
Statement of significance: Founded as a mining town in 1852, Jacksonville is a mid-nineteenth century inland commercial town significant for its magnificent group of surviving unaltered commercial and residential buildings. The town was the principal financial center of southern Oregon until it was bypassed by the railroad.
Lightship Wal-604 “Columbia”
Location: Astoria, Clatsop County
Relevant issues: Naval history
Statement of significance: The 1950 Lightship Wal-604 (Columbia), along with its sister Wal-605, is the best representative of the last class of lightships built under the auspices of the U.S. Coast Guard. Although these vessels closely resembled earlier lightships in external appearance, they were a distinct departure in terms of the rest of their construction. Of the lightships built after 1939, Wal-604 retains the best integrity and is associated with the nationally significant station off the Columbia River Bar. It was retired in 1979 as the last Columbia station lightship, as well as the last on the Pacific Coast.
Sunken Village Archaeological Site
Location: Portland, Multnomah County
Relevant issues: Native American history
Statement of significance: Sunken Village is the archaeological remains of a Chinook settlement (1250-1750 C.E.) which is extraordinarily well preserved. The Chinooks who lived there were a cosmopolitan people and practiced a successful, complex hunter-gatherer economy that permitted densely occupied villages and extensive trade relations.
Wallowa Lake Site
Location: Joseph, Wallowa County
Relevant issues: Native American history
Statement of significance: This site, commanding an excellent view of a high, glaciated lake and mountain country, preserves a traditional Nez Perce ancestral campground associated with religious and cultural values that have persisted for more than the century that has elapsed since the band of nontreaty Nez Perce led by Young Chief Joseph was driven out.
Danham, Danielle. "Wallowa Lake, Oregon in 2023: Your Ultimate Outdoor Distination." The Oregon Life, 11 July 2023, https://thatoregonlife.com/2022/01/wallowa-lake/. Accessed 4 June 2024.
Emery, Katrina. "Moon Oregon Trail Road Trip: Historic Sites, Small Towns, and Scenic Landscapes Along the Legendary Westward Route." Moon Travel, 2020.
"Historic Sites and Features." Travel Portland, 18 Jan. 2024, www.travelportland.com/culture/historic-places/. Accessed 4 June 2024.