The Presence of the Past

"Meeting the Bigfoot family at the Discovery Park in North Bonneville, Washington."  photo by Lee G Young  © 2014

When thinking of the past, we usually consider it to be finished and over with. We believe it no longer exists and cannot be seen in today’s world. But even though the past is out of sight, the events leading up to the present are still very much a part of today, continuing to affect our attitudes and choices. The past is present, yet elusive…kind of like Bigfoot, that is rumored to have lurked for many years in forests of the Pacific Northwest. Reports of sightings of these ape-like creatures, also known as Sasquatch (meaning “wild man in the woods”), have been documented in myths by Indians, long before early explorers made their way out west. Explorers of the northwest in the 1800’s reported many sightings of this creature, while others claimed to have only discovered their huge footprints in the woods. And today, the State of Washington, where I did my hike along the Columbia River, is considered a “hot spot” for Bigfoot activity. Even though most people have not seen an actual Bigfoot, the lore and legend of Sasquatch still affects all of us to some degree. So many sightings have been reported in Skamania County’s forested hills that in 1969 the County Board of Commissioners passed an ordinance against the slaying of a Bigfoot. Today, after some revision, that county ordinance states that killing a Bigfoot is punishable by up to one year in the county jail and/or $1000 fine.

"From the trail on Strawberry Island, beautiful cliffs of Columbia Gorge can be seen."  photo by Carol E Fairbanks © 2014

Like Bigfoot, past historic events, although out of sight, still touch us today in the ways we think, act and talk. So, whether it’s a Bigfoot sighting or a settlement by early explorers, those historic accounts add to the wonderful adventure and mystique of hiking in the Northwest. In this area of quiet and sparsely inhabited land, along a scenic stretch of the Columbia River, many dramatic events have occurred, shaping the settlement and development of the entire Pacific Northwest. Away from the busy urban area, where I live, my walk from North Bonneville Discovery Park through Strawberry Island and Fort Cascades National Historic Site gave me a glimpse of the struggles and drama of the people who explored and made this land their home. 

"A historic photo of the military Block House, built for protection, taken from a trail sign at Fort Cascade National Historic Site." 

Stories of Indians, explorers, fur traders, soldiers, settlers, railroad workers and fisherman all make up the rich cultural heritage of this area of Columbia Gorge. The trails along the bank of the Columbia River and through the woods of the Ft. Cascades Site are peaceful and quiet, but the informative signs and historic markers along the way were to me a frequent reminder of the important activity that happened there in the past. Lessons from impressive accomplishments, like the Cascade Portage Railroad, to the questionable practices, like the Warren Fishwheel, continue to teach us as we work today to adapt and prosper in our own communities. The one and one half mile interpretive trail through the Ft. Cascades National Historic Site is a stark reminder of the fragility of the structures and businesses we build, while never envisioning a day when they might cease to exist.  

"The site today where the Block House used to be is a field with a view of the Bonneville Dam." ~ photo by Carol E Fairbanks  © 2014

After the army abandoned Ft. Cascades in 1861 at the start of the Civil War, civilians began moving into the vacated buildings, using them as residences and other community buildings. So, as Ft. Cascades faded from history, the town of Cascades began to grow and flourish. However, in 1894 the greatest recorded flood on the Columbia River ended that town, as it destroyed and swept away every remaining building. And the town of Cascades was never rebuilt. 

"A historc photo of the Cascade Portage Railroad taken from a trail sign at Fort Cascades National Historic Site." 

After many years of operating successfully and covering a distance of 6 miles from Hamilton Island to Stevenson in Washington, the Cascade Portage Railroad finally stopped their runs along the Columbia River. The building of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1883, along with the Great Flood of 1894 and the 1896 opening of the Cascades Canal and Locks, created setbacks for the portage railway, and finally, in 1907, the Cascade Portage Railroad was rendered obsolete and quit running altogether.

"The site of Cascade Portage Railroad as seen today at the Ft. Cascades Site." ~ photo by Carol E Fairbanks  © 2014

Even though structures and whole communities of the past fade away, the people of long ago and their achievements continue to “speak” to us yet today. With the repeated floods of the Columbia River destroying nearly all traces of early native people, only a petroglyph still remains here as a reminder of those prehistoric inhabitants, who first made this area their home. While the original petroglyph is now in front of Skamania County Courthouse Annex, a replica of this rock carving can be seen along the interpretive walking trail through the Fort Cascades National Historic Site. Although the meaning of the carving is unknown, it still reminds us of the Cascade Indians that once lived in a village there. Those early native inhabitants were noted in the journal of explorers, Lewis and Clark, who passed through this area in search of a water route to the Pacific in November of 1805 and again returned in April of 1806. 

"On the Ft. Cascades trail, the replica of a stone age petroglyph that was discovered here can be seen".
~ photo by Carol E Fairbanks  © 2014

"A close up view of the petroglyph seems to have "eyes" from the past looking at you."
~ photo by Carol E Fairbanks

Like Lewis and Clark, I also saw the gorgeous river views and high rocky cliffs of the gorge, as I hiked the 4 mile wildlife walk on Strawberry Island. Lewis and Clark, while on the Corps of Discovery expedition, discovered Strawberry Island, naming it for its profusion of strawberry vines. In hiking past grassy fields and rolling hills, at this Lewis and Clark Heritage Site, I saw at a distance, Beacon Rock, an 848 rock monolith, that is actually a core of an extinct volcano. Originally named by Lewis and Clark on their way to the Pacific Ocean in 1805, Clark noted in his journal that Beacon Rock was “a remarkable and big detached rock”…. and stated that it “stands as a beacon on the land.”

"Beacon Rock, first described and named by explorers, Lewis and Clark, is seen at a distance on the trail."  ~ photo by Carol E Fairbanks  © 2014

Walking this scenic path was truly an interesting and informative walk through history. As I followed the historic events of the past on this trail, I realized how the lives of those, who have passed through here before us, affect and influence the present. From their rich experience, they have left a legacy of knowledge and relationship to the land that influence us to the present day. Their vivid memory inspires us to stay committed to our ideals, in spite of any struggles we may encounter. They teach us about the flow of life experience, that continues regardless of any insurmountable obstacles that may happen. Today, we can see how everyone’s achievements in the past weave together a tapestry of human endurance and ingenuity. And this tapestry of remarkable experience, created by those courageous explorers, settlers and native indigenous people of the past, provides us with a foundation upon which we can “walk” into the future. 

"Looking westward on the trail by the Columbia River... a river that Lewis and Clark once boated down."  ~ photo by Carol E Fairbanks  © 2014

The Native American saying, “Every step you take is supported by 1000 ancestors” came alive, as I walked along those trails by the Columbia River. The wisdom those people of the past have contributed to the present by their courage and determination now guides us through the ideals we are striving to manifest today. Their legacy has become our treasure, as we keep striving toward a better existence for all. So, just because we can’t see a person or structure any longer, doesn’t mean it’s presence is not here. The essence of the words and deeds of all beings are always available to us, helping us learn and grow… and maybe that even includes the “wild man of the woods”!

"Bigfoot sculpture at Discovery Park in North Bonneville, WA." ~ photo by Carol E Fairbanks  © 2014

                                                             by Carol E Fairbanks, W.W.W.    © 2014