columbia river gorge

Museum Closed for Winter

Museum season 2022 is a wrap! Thank you to the thousands of visitors who came to see us this year! It was so wonderful to welcome so many folks to our community.

The museum closes seasonally so that we can do all the important behind-the-scenes stuff that make our summers rock. We plan to come out of this winter with another major exhibit update and our first-ever strategic plan (YAY!!!!!). Thank you to Braemar Charitable Trust for supporting us on our strategic planning process.

Just because we're closed doesn't mean we're gone! Staff are available by email, phone, DM, and appointment. Stay tuned for off-site excitement through the winter, starting with a History Night at Gorges Beer Co. on November 10.

Coming Soon- Images of America: Cascade Locks and Canal

Explore hundreds of detailed historic photographs from the Cascades of the Columbia, through the construction and operation of the Cascade Locks and Canal, to its final inundation by the Bonneville Dam and development into the beautiful park it is today.

Preorder today for the August 8, 2022 release!

Join us for the book release party in the Marine Park Pavilion on Monday, August 8, or get your copy signed at our book signing at the museum on Saturday, August 13.

SUMMARY OF THE BOOK

A stretch of tumbling white water five miles long, the Cascades of the Columbia River were the single greatest barrier to inland river trade and travel in the Pacific Northwest. One solution, the Cascade Locks and Canal, took nearly 18 painstaking years to construct. From 1878 to 1896, hundreds of laborers blasted, chipped, and hauled over 800,000 cubic yards of rock and debris from the riverbed, carved and laid masonry, and welded steel to create the locks. After their completion, thousands of trips, millions of dollars in freight, and hundreds of thousands of passengers made their way through the locks. Made redundant in 1938 by the completion of the Bonneville Dam, the remnants of the structure are still visible today in Cascade Locks, Oregon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The Friends of the Cascade Locks Historical Museum is the nonprofit organization that manages the Cascade Locks Historical Museum. Compiled by executive director Janice Crane, this text includes historic photographs from the collection of the Cascade Locks Historical Museum with additions from private collections and museums along the Columbia River.

ABOUT ARCADIA PUBLISHING

As the nation’s leading publisher of books of local history and local interest, Arcadia’s mission is to connect people with their past, with their communities and with one another. Arcadia is the home of unique hyper-local histories of countless hometowns across all fifty states, as well as books on local food, beer and wine; and stories of famous hauntings, all one American city and town at a time. Arcadia has an extraordinary catalog of 17,000 local titles and publishes 500 new books each year. Arcadia counts among its imprints Pelican Publishing, a 100-year old independent press based in New Orleans, and the critically acclaimed Wildsam Publishing, publisher of highly curated travel literature and guides. Using its proprietary Store Match system, Arcadia can create a highly customized hyper-local book assortment for any storefront in the nation.


Big News! Silent auction is also ONLINE!

New! Join the auction fun online!

In an effort to include our supporters who are not yet comfortable attending in-person events, we are going to attempt a hybrid online AND in-person silent auction. Head over to our auction site to preview the auction catalog. 

The online auction will run from 5:00 PM on MONDAY (today!) until 11:45 PM on THURSDAY NIGHT. The auction then transitions to the live event at Magical History Tour on Friday, October 1, for continued bidding in-person. Some additional items will be added to the auction onboard the boat.

How it works:

  1. Bid online, just like you did for last year’s online auction.

  2. If you are not attending the event, but see something you REALLY want, use the “Buy It Now” button to guarantee you win.

  3. Bid sheets for the live event will be generated including your online bids. Bidding re-opens at the live event, and you may be out-bid.

  4. Attend the live event to continue bidding in-person!

  5. Win super-cool items and experiences from our generous donors while supporting the Friends of the Cascade Locks Historical Museum!

If no one out-bids you at the live event, you will be notified of your victory on Saturday, October 2. Items will be available for pickup at the museum from October 2-4, from 11am-4pm. No appointments will be necessary for pickup this year. USPS Flat Rate shipping is also available for most items.

Start Bidding

Get in on the fun!

There are still event tickets available! Come cruise with us aboard sternwheeler Columbia Gorge on Friday, October 1, for our 7th annual Magical History Tour. This event includes a light dinner, live music from the Too Loose Band with Steve Shroy, and, of course, the silent auction. Tickets are $75 for the general public, and $60 for museum members.

Join us Friday, October 1, 2021 from 6pm to 10 pm. Boarding begins at 5:30 PM.

Buy Tickets

COVID-19 Information: We will follow all current safety requirements for restaurants/dining at this event. Masks are required indoors while not seated at your table and on outdoor decks if it is not possible to maintain social distance. Hand sanitizer will be available throughout the ship. Tickets are fully refundable if you develop any symptoms of COVID-19 and need to not attend the event.

Want to support the Friends of the Cascade Locks Historical Museum even more? Make a tax-deductible donation today.

Donate Now

We are grateful for the support of our presenting sponsor, Portland Spirit Cruises and Events.

7th Annual Magical History Tour - October 1, 2021

Join us for our 7th Annual Magical History Tour! This gala fundraiser event takes place aboard sternwheeler Columbia Gorge, thanks to the generosity of our friends at Portland Spirit. The event will take place on October 1, 2021 from 6pm-10pm. Boarding begins at 5:30 PM.

In addition to the sunset cruise, tickets include dinner, music, dancing, and a silent auction. Join us for the best party on the river!

Tickets for this event are $60 for members, $75 for non-members. Tickets are on sale now at the museum and online.