Tunnel Falls 1919 - when constructed?

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Chase
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Tunnel Falls 1919 - when constructed?

Post by Chase » July 28th, 2012, 10:05 am

I've always wondered when the trail back to Tunnel Falls was constructed and, especially when the blasting behind the falls took place. Oregonian archives only had this early mention of the tunnel, which is from 1919.

Beautiful piece, pour over it for a few minutes. The bad scan was not my doing.
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Tuunnel Falls and more Aug 24 1919 Oregonian.gif
August 24 1919

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Peder
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Re: Tunnel Falls 1919 - when constructed?

Post by Peder » July 28th, 2012, 1:57 pm

Chase - Doesn't drawing no. 3 look like Twister Falls rather than Tunnel Falls to you?

Thanks for all this interesting historical information you have been posting!
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Chase
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Re: Tunnel Falls 1919 - when constructed?

Post by Chase » July 28th, 2012, 3:27 pm

I would agree that the picture is Twister Falls though the bottom right corner does list it as Tunnel Falls. However, the rest of the article (below) has a description of Tunnel Falls that cannot be mistaken for Twister Falls.
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for cropping (2).jpg
Page 8 from the Aug 24 1919 Oregonian

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retired jerry
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Re: Tunnel Falls 1919 - when constructed?

Post by retired jerry » July 28th, 2012, 4:05 pm

Now if the old Oregonian called it "Twister Falls" then I would say that Tom has discovered a time machine :)

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Eric Peterson
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Re: Tunnel Falls 1919 - when constructed?

Post by Eric Peterson » July 28th, 2012, 5:02 pm

Nice work 'paper' Chase!

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Chase
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Re: Tunnel Falls 1919 - when constructed?

Post by Chase » July 28th, 2012, 9:58 pm

The answer to my original question seems to be answered. A Sept. 2, 1917 Oregonian article mentions that the Eagle Creek trail to Chinidere was hiked by some Mazamas (although they went the other way from Herman Creek to Chinidere and ended at E.C.). They said the trail was "the new Eagle Creek trail, recently completed by the Forest Service."
Looking back at articles from early 1916 through the summer of 1917 there are several times the construction of the Eagle Creek trail are mentioned. Sounds like they only got 4 1/2 miles done in the summer of 1916 and completed the rest in 1917.
One can probably assume the Tunnel Falls portion was done in early summer 1917, though I cannot find any specific mention of it.

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kepPNW
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Re: Tunnel Falls 1919 - when constructed?

Post by kepPNW » July 29th, 2012, 11:42 am

I can't find any reference online, but I was sure that I read - either at the TH or near the caretaker's place - that it was blasted in 1908.
Karl
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Chase
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Re: Tunnel Falls 1919 - when constructed?

Post by Chase » July 29th, 2012, 1:38 pm

kepPNW wrote:I can't find any reference online, but I was sure that I read - either at the TH or near the caretaker's place - that it was blasted in 1908.
Possible, I guess, but I can't find any reference to any trail building, blasting or anything other than some fishing articles that mention Eagle Creek in 1908 (and I usually find what I'm looking for :geek: ). Possible that it was done and never reported in the news that year. There were no bridges in place at that time, so the blasting crews would have had to come over from the Wahtum area.
I'm inclined to think that the blasting was done to build the old highway in 1908, which still was only a piecemeal road at that point in time. Odd that they'd take the energy and resources to blast out behind Tunnel Falls in 1908 when the only practical way to get near the trail was by railroad. Not ruling out the 1908 idea; I just need more evidence at this point in time.

Here are two articles from 1916 that have some details about the construction of the Eagle Creek trail.
Further reading (which I'm not going to post) includes mention of the trail not being completed in 1916 and that 1917 was the year of completion.

[I can't wait to get away from my computer tomorrow and back on the trails!]
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Eagle Creek plans April 19 1916 Oregonian.gif
April 1916 Oregonian
May 21 1916 Oregonian Eagle Creek Trail Started.gif
May 1916 Oregonian

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kepPNW
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Re: Tunnel Falls 1919 - when constructed?

Post by kepPNW » July 29th, 2012, 2:23 pm

Your sources sound more reliable than mine. Particularly since I can't even recall WTH it was! Heh...
Karl
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Splintercat
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Re: Tunnel Falls 1919 - when constructed?

Post by Splintercat » August 1st, 2012, 7:00 am

Excellent find, Chase! Somewhere, I've got Arnold postcard that confirms the 1916-17 window for trail construction. The forest camp at Eagle Creek was originally contructed at that time, in tandem with the Columbia River Highway. What makes this history confusing is the fact that the CCC substantially improved the campground in the 1930s, so it's a very unique hybrid of history.

Interesting to note in the article that a shelter existed jut above 4.5 mile bridge!

Thanks for posting!

Tom :)

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