Thursday, September 10, 2015

Multnomah Falls Centennial Anniversary

Yesterday was a big day!  I served as the Event Chair for the 100th Anniversary of Multnomah Falls as a public park.  Can you imagine that this amazing waterfall was once the home of a woman whose father homesteaded it?  It was also owned by others who wanted to harness it's power or use it for other commercial uses.  I'm so glad it was saved and shared with the public!  Below are the Centennial Chorus ladies that I organized for the event - members of the Daughters of the American Revolution.  We had a great time!


The day began early as we set up tables with membership forms, event programs, commemorative pins, postcards and posters.  Our event committee members worked together to get everything done.  A great team!



There was a big banner on the lodge.


Our board member Charlie White, Christine Meadows who sang several 1915 era songs for the event and Rick Buck, manager of the Multnomah Falls Lodge, Co.  


Our Centennial Chorus posing on the stage.



The Mt. Hood Pops band playing for us.


Our Master of Ceremonies, Hal Meyerdierk, introducing the chorus - and then we sung the National Anthem.  What an honor!


Hal did a fantastic job introducing all of the honored speakers.  Hal and I were both part of the group who started the Friends of Multnomah Falls and worked together 25 years ago to put on the 75th Anniversary of Multnomah Falls becoming a public park.



Soprano Alexandra Erickson sang "I Hear You Calling Me" - wow, she did a great job!



Mike Abbate - Director Portland Parks and Recreation - reading the speech given in 1915 of Portland City Commissioner George Baker as he accepted the park on behalf of the City of Portland.


Chet Benson - Simon Benson's Great-Grandson - reading the 1915 speech given by Simon Benson as he donated the park.


Rick Buck reading the speech by Henry Dodge Estabrook commemorating Lafayette's birthday.


They had reserved the front row of the audience for the chorus, so I had a wonderful view of the event.  My eyes wandered to the beautiful sunshine on the cliffs above the lodge.. the smell of the smoke from the wood fire in the big rock fireplace in the lodge great hall dining room.. I was trying to soak in the wonderful feeling of the day to enjoy as memories in days to come.


The sun was shining on the forest canopy.  Do you see the maple leaves turning gold?


Christine Meadows singing "A Perfect Day", then "Home Sweet Home".


A favorite photo of the day for me is Hal Meyerdierk, left, who worked tirelessly to help me organize the event and did such a fine job of MC, to his right is Steve Terrill, my old friend, who is a famous photographer of Oregon, who did the poster design for this event.  We share a birthday!  In front of them is Mike Abbate, who looked VERY dapper this day in period dress.



Don Clark, former Multnomah County Commissioner and Columbia River Gorge Commissioner giving Rufus Holman's 1915 speech.


We then moved on to our "NOW" portion of the event, Lynn Burditt, Area Manager - US Forest Service, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.


After the event we headed into the lodge for a wonderful Reception in the Falls Room - Rick Buck had his chef and kitchen prepare a wonderful buffet of delights.  Below is a huge carrot cake.



Also was a cake done by a friend of two of the committee members.  Unfortunately the cake wasn't cut while I was there so I can't tell you how it tasted.  :-)


Some photos of the buffet.





Deviled eggs with caviar!



Bacon wrapped figs.



Fruit, cheese and ham.


Many enjoyed the buffet on the open air deck with the sound of the waterfall in the background.  


Friend's president Sharon Quade, Hal and I presented a framed poster to Rick Buck, which will be hung in the lodge.  :-)


Rick was very pleased with the gift.



It was a wonderful day, one I will never forget.  A day to celebrate a most magnificent natural wonder that I am very involved in - and now I'm off to volunteer in the visitor center for the afternoon!  I hope you enjoyed seeing photos of the event.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

26 comments:

  1. Theresa I am speechless and in awe of this event at Multnomah Falls! It's one of my favorite places to visit every time I drive to Portland. Almost always, I stop and just look at those falls and drink in their beauty. So many nice people helping to put it on this event with you. 100 years! That's just amazing. And it seems that so many people love the falls and the lodge, just as you do . How special that is! Thank you for letting us be part of this day with you.
    Blessings my friend,
    Betsy

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  2. I've been so bad about not commenting lately on all the blogs I read. I've tried to catch up the last few days. Please forgive me! I've had a lot of work the past two weeks, which I'm grateful for, but it takes up all my fun time and blog-writing and reading time! Looks like a fun day yesterday. How fun to dress up in that old-style clothing. That carrot cake is so pretty! I bet it would have tasted good too if you had been able to have some. I HAVE to see that waterfall some day with my own eyes!

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  3. What a wonderful celebration. I am sure everyone really enjoyed it. Such a treasure, those falls are.

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  4. Multnomah Falls is my favorite Gorge waterfall! Loved your recap of the ceremony.

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  5. How wonderful such an auspicious occasion that I am sure will live with you for many years to come. It was a pleasure to look at the photos and share in your enjoyment.

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  6. This is a wonderful post that captures the celebration and day perfectly, Teresa! I'm so glad I got to attend and thank you for asking me to do so. I truly appreciate the work of all those who have contributed to making Multnomah Falls a public park that is enjoyed by world travelers as well as local folk. Like you I enjoyed viewing the sunlight through the leaves of the trees and the smell of the wood smoke coming from the chimney of the lodge...soaking up the atmosphere...for a very good memory. xx

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  7. What a magical day, well done for all you do for this beautiful place. It really is a gorgeous spot, so pretty with the trees all around. The food looks amazing, especially those cakes, the waterfall one took my breath away. So glad it all went so well and that you had such a lovely time. CJ xx

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  8. How nice. And looks like your weather was good, too!

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  9. What a fabulous day and the food looks so delicious.Precious memories indeed x

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  10. My zach loves bacon wrapped figs! All of your photos are wonderful. I LOVE your long dresses. So lovely and appropriate. Im going to visit you and those FALLS someday. THe cake with the FALLS was amazing. Hooray for a fabulous day you will long remember. Put your feet up!

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  11. Thank you for sharing this Teresa. What a wonderful day and I hope you feel proud of the work you have done here!

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  12. What a lovely day you all had commemorating Multnomah Falls 100th year.
    Good speakers, fun songs, yummy treats. No matter what that cake tasted like, it sure was beautiful. A perfect recreation of the falls including the rail line and roadway.
    That will be one day to talk about for years.
    Happy you had an unhampered front row seat - so we could view the event through your great photo's! 😄 👏

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    1. There was an interesting article about the Falls event in today's Oregonian (A section) 9/11/15.

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  13. Fabulous photo's Teresa and a wonderful post on such a great occasion/celebration ☺
    I am now very hungry lol

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  14. Your framer did a fabulous job with the mat - matching corner motif to period writing.
    It appears you were blessed with a perfect day for the centennial and everyone looks like they had a great time soaking in the atmosphere. Multnomah Falls is so dear to our Oregonian hearts, I am glad someone had the foresight to allow the future peoples to bask in it's glory.
    I am loving that beautiful cake with the miniature sternwheeler and the USFS sign. Gorgeous.

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  15. I always love to see your photos of the falls Teresa and this looks like a very special day.
    So glad you had a great time
    Jacquie xxx

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  16. Thanks for sharing your day! Your ladies' chorus looked lovely! Glad it was good weather for it. I wore my lovely purple Multnomah Falls tshirt to work today. It has the best colors on it and I always get compliments when I wear it. One lady commented on it and mentioned the 100th birthday of the falls (to the public)! So I had to pop over here and see it from my blogs. It is a lovely place to visit! The tiered falls cake was lovely! Have a good week!

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  17. Oh, what a wonderful day .. congratulations on being part of the organising committee who obviously did a fantastic job. Loved seeing everyone in period costume - as I read all your notes, it felt as if it really was being staged way back then. You really are a woman of many talents Teresa ..... you sing too !!! Loved the two cakes but was most impressed by the 3 tier one of the falls. Very clever indeed. xox

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  18. I knew it would be a great event with you organizing it. How absolutely awesome that the great-grandson was able to read the words of his great-grandfather from so many years ago. And now you can rest. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  19. What a special celebration event! It looks like a lot of hard work went into it and it went off really well. I love the period costumes, how fun. And of course the food looks wonderful, especially the cakes. I'm so glad you had a good event for this momentous occasion.

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  20. What a wonderful thing to be a part of Teresa! Such pride in what you do. It sure looks like the even went off without a hitch. And I believe I can see some signs of Fall in the photos too. You sing too?
    Loved the period style clothing!
    xo Kris

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  21. A really wonderful day and a wonderful celebration and part of the history of the falls and the park now!! All made in no small part to your own work for this event and by the sounds of it for the last 25 years! A great achievement and wonderful work on your part and that of your team too! The cake is a work of art more like a sculpture. How wonderful that this park was donated to your country for all to share, it must have been amazing to have owned this land originally and to have "owned" these falls! Congratulations on a great day!!! xx

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  22. Teresa, congrats on a very successful day honoring those gorgeous Falls. I am so glad it all turned out well. I know you must be tired after all the planning, getting all the details right and of course the big even itself. Well done my friend.
    Hugs to you, and by the way you looked smashing!
    Meredith

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  23. Hi honey! I'm leaving my first comment! I am finally "Following" you. :-) It was a fun event.

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    1. Oops.. Dayle you need to do something about being "unknown". People will wonder who is calling me "honey". LOL!

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  24. It looks like an amazing day. Well done to all. ( I did just giggle at Dayle's sweet comment and your reply!)

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