Tag Archives: Convict Road

GORGE(OUS) VIEWS – MAJESTY OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE

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Magnificent viewpoint near Nesika Lodge looking upstream towards Bonneville Dam.
Magnificent viewpoint near Nesika Lodge looking upstream towards Bonneville Dam. One of the many spectacular views to be found within the Columbia River Gorge.

The Columbia River Gorge is one of the natural highlights of the Pacific Northwest.  Only the Columbia River penetrates through the Cascade Mountain range and does so in a magnificent manner.  Long an important transportation corridor whether rail, old highways, new freeways, canoes or flatboats.  Waterfalls tend to bring the tourists to the Gorge along with the views of the immense canyon from spots like Crown Point on the Historic Columbia River Highway.  But trails take you to the top of many other vista points as magical as those at the Vista House.  Here are a few of my personal favorite Gorge views.  Maybe you have others.

In no particular order with regard to personal preference, I present them from west to east.

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HARD TIMES, WALKABOUT ON THE LYLE CONVICT ROAD

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Ollie checks out the view over the river, the railroad and the current highway from the former roadbed built by Washington convicts in 1910-1911.
Ollie checks out the view over the river, the railroad and the current highway from the former roadbed built by Washington convicts in 1910-1911.

Oregon and Washington have used prison labor for various projects throughout their history.  Convicts have been working on a variety of projects from laundry to license plates to agriculture.  They also worked on convict road projects, though that only arose in the early 20th century.  Penitentiaries hoped to relieve overcrowding in the prisons while at the same time providing employment not conflicting with free labor.  They saw the employment also as a form of reward to their better behaving prisoners.  Prisoners had marks of degradation such as stripes, chains and shaven heads done away with.  Here, they gained a certain amount of freedom.  The work, done in the public good, was also seen as reformative.

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SHELLROCK MOUNTAIN – WAGONS AND CONVICTS HIDING IN THE SHALE

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One road above the other in the Columbia River Gorge; Ollie looking down from the 1876 wagon road on the late 1960 freeway.
One road above the other in the Columbia River Gorge; Ollie looking down from the 1876 wagon road on the late 1960 freeway.

Funds for The Dalles – Sandy Military Road gained appropriation from the Oregon legislature in 1872 – $50,000.  The road finally finished in 1876 after another $50,000 infusion.  The road suffers from memory – too windy and parts too steep (20 % grades!).  Much of the road was said to have been destroyed by the 1880 building of the railway through the Gorge.  Some areas remained to be incorporated into the subsequent Columbia River highway.  Other areas were abandoned, though only one section of the old wagon road – Shellrock Mountain – remains known from its day.

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