Friday, May 6, 2016

Portland Women's Forum Gorge Tour 2016

Hello!  Would you like to join the Portland Women's Forum on their Gorge Tour with me?  Great, come on along!  First stop was the Troutdale Historical Society's Barn Museum.  They have an outstanding exhibit on display of the history of the Historic Columbia River Highway.  


Our guide for the tour was Len Otto (center) - he is the driving force behind this amazing exhibit and was a wonderful docent.



This exhibit is all the things that might have been taken in a camping trip 100 years ago.  



I was happy to see sign I drew up many years ago as we entered the barn museum.  I worked on a committee many years ago - the "Historic Columbia River Highway Task Force" and we dreamed of restoring the historic highway, I was asked to come up with a sign design, so I took my pen and ink and sketched this design out to show the group.  They liked it and asked me to show the design to the Oregon Department of Transportation, the Multnomah County Commission and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Gorge Commission - which I did and told them in my impassioned speech why I thought we should have the sections of the historic highway signed.  And amazingly it all went together and ODOT had their sign department make and install the signs from the beginning of the Historic Highway in Troutdale all along it to The Dalles!  :-)


My sister Denise called our attention to a photo of US on the wall of the museum!  How fun to see our group showcased in the museum show!



Our next stop is the site of the future the Crown Point Country Historical Society museum.  Member Chuck Rollins told our group of their future plans for a wonderful Museum and a Native American Long House to be built here.  I'm so excited about their plans!



Here is an artist's rendition of what they hope the museum will look like.



One of the museum displays will be these little cars found in digs in the area.  The fun back story is that one of the local ice cream shops sold a sundae that had two scoops of ice cream with a crispy waffle set between them as a "bridge" with a little toy car on the bridge.  I look forward to seeing their plans come to fruition.  PWF gave donations to both the THS Barn museum and the CRCHS.



Next up was visiting Portland Women's Forum Scenic Viewpoint and our annual group photo.  My DIL Kristi drove up to take our photo for us, she did a great job!  Please click on the link to PWF above to learn about our group.


This iconic view from "our" park.  :-)  


Kristi snapped a photo of some Queen Anne's Lace at the park.


Then Kristi walked down the trail a bit and saw some color up in the trees.. I had no idea that some Wisteria had grown WAY up into the trees.. I can only assume there was an old homestead here long ago that planted the Wisteria and it has made it's home in the tree tops here.  It is not a wild plant.


We then left PWF park and drove along the Historic Columbia River Highway towards Multnomah Falls where they were awaiting us with two tables set up for our group in the "Falls Room" for lunch.  We drove around Vista House (we'd come back later to visit there) and through the beautiful forest.  


Rick Buck, the manager of Multnomah Falls Lodge, Co. came over to greet us and talk to us.  He's a wonderful guy.



They made up a special menu for our group, I got the Hot Turkey and oh was it delicious!  They even surprised us with a dessert of triple berry crisp warm from the oven with a dollop of whipped cream.  



After a time of fellowship, fun and a great lunch, we headed back up the Historic Highway to visit Vista House.  There were volunteers dressed in period clothing handing out cake to visitors.



One of the ladies was my very own longtime friend, Diane.  We met in a barn sale 38 years ago.. I told her I was looking for a stainless steel bucket to use to milk my goats.  She said.. so am I!  I asked her what her husband did and she said he was a railroad engineer.. I said.. so is mine!!  She asked me how many kids I had and I said 3.. and she said.. me too!  We became instant friends and were the Dairy Goat 4-H leaders for our kids for 5 years together.  :-)



Look at the amazing ceiling in Vista House.  I think it's beautiful.


I served as one of the founders of the Friends of Vista House and it's first Executive Director for 15 years.  I have a deep love of this building.  The walls are Kasota limestone, the floors Tokeen marble from Alaska, the windows stained glass.  Click HERE for more of the history of the building.


I hope you've enjoyed touring the gorge with us.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 


14 comments:

  1. Thanks for taking us along on the interesting tour in an area you treasure and are helping to share and preserve. I think it is wonderful, too. What fun you had unexpectedly seeing a good friend and seeing Wisteria in the tree. Mary Kathrine and I were just talking this morning about planting some Wisteria here...maybe near the front pond! xxxxx

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  2. What a fun tour Teresa. I enjoyed every single bit of it. How fun to see your longtime friend too. I always enjoy the views from Vista House and I remember the first time we stopped in and I saw the inside. I think it's a beautiful building from top to bottom! How nice of Kristi to drive up to photograph you AND how fun to see your sign on display. I can say I know a famous artiste!
    Blessings my friend,
    Betsy

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  3. What an amazing day. That view is absolutely stunning. And the wisteria growing wild is lovely. So many gorgeous photos, I'm glad you had such a great time. The sign is very good indeed, it must have been lovely to see it again. Wishing you and Dayle a good weekend. CJ xx

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  4. A great tour....your sign you designed is brilliant. Enjoy the weekend x

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  5. Thank you, Teresa, for the little vacation I just took via your (and Kristi's!) photos. Thanks so much for sharing. Love the pic of you with the sign you designed. :)

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  6. Interesting post .... Vista House sure is impressive - I don't think I've seen a close up pic of the outside (could be wrong but can't recall seeing one) and inside is just beautiful. Kristi's picture of the Queen Anne Lace has got me thinking. Was the plant named after Queen Anne's lace or was Queen Anne's lace named after the plant? My DD has been asking me to make her a tablecloth (ha ha) in the Queen Anne's Lace pattern for years now but the thought of it makes me shudder. Not that I can't do it - just that I'm not too good at finishing big projects. Have a good weekend. Xox

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  7. Thanks for sharing with us. Beautiful area.

    Judy

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  8. Wow Teresa! How amazing to have played such an important part in The Gorge, you should be very proud of yourself. Great meeting old friends isn't it? Have a lovely weekend. CN x

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  9. Enjoyed the tour Teresa. Thanks for taking us! Hugs Anne x

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  10. Every time I see those signs, I will think of you. Thank you for the tour.

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  11. I always enjoy the GORGE posts! Oh my. Your coincidental friend story was just amazing. Diane looks so sweet!! love the images on your post!!!! Happy mothers DaY

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  12. You certainly took us on an amazing tour, I can see now why you are so passionate about the area and your wish to preserve it. How wonderful to catch up with an old friend. Take care.

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  13. Thank you for taking us along on the tour Teresa, it was so much fun.
    Meredith

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  14. What an interesting tour Teresa...thank you for taking us along! Your love of the area and its history shines through. Wonderful to see the lovely sign you designed too!
    Helen xox

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