60-684: The Dalles ( / ˈ d æ l z / ) DALZ ; formally the City of The Dalles and also called Dalles City , is an inland port and the largest city in Wasco County , Oregon , United States. The population was 16,010 at the 2020 census , and it is the largest city in Oregon along the Columbia River outside the Portland Metropolitan Area . The Dalles is 75 miles (121 km) east of Portland, within
120-595: A financial struggle. By 1863, the toll had decreased to $ 2.50 per wagon and team. From the summit of the Cascade Range westward to Sandy, the Mount Hood Loop Highway is in substantially the same location as the Barlow Road, though modern engineering has solved some of Samuel K. Barlow's greatest difficulties. East of the summit the Barlow Road has been in disuse for many years for a considerable distance down
180-590: A k-8 school affiliated with the Catholic Church in The Dalles. Columbia Lutheran School is a Christian elementary school of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod in The Dalles. The Dalles is also home to the main campus of Columbia Gorge Community College which began in 1977 as Wasco Area Education Service District. It is a leading institution in renewable energy technology education and training. As of
240-605: A list of top employers in the region. Mid-Columbia Medical Center was the number one employer listed with over 500 employees; a local school district, Oregon Cherry Growers and Fred Meyer all reported more than 250 employers. Google employed between 100 and 250 people, according to the list. In 2012, the top 15 employers in The Dalles according to the Mid-Columbia Economic Development District report on "Largest Employers in Wasco County" were: The Dalles
300-617: A perilous and expensive journey. It was also possible to drive livestock over Lolo Pass on the north side of Mount Hood , but that trail was too rugged for vehicles and unsuitable for wagons. A trading post (allowed by the Department of War) had been built where river crossings could be made along with the disassembly of wagons to make rafts suitable for floating down the remainder of the Columbia. The Barlow Road begins at Wascopam Mission and heads south to Tygh Valley (some consider Tygh Valley
360-438: A powerful west wind on most afternoons. During stormy periods in spring, conditions are usually cloudy and cool, while most sunny and calm days become intensely warm, especially from April onward. Springtime temperatures often vary more from one week to the next than they do from one month to the next. The growing season is roughly 200 days long in a typical year, generally running from early April through most of October. However,
420-468: A train of seven wagons, intending to return for river transport if the mountain passage proved impractical. On October 1, 1845, Barlow and three men scouted ahead of their company and entered Mount Hood's foothills from the east near Tygh Creek, about 35 miles (56 km) from the mouth of the Deschutes River . They came within perhaps 12 miles (19 km) of Mount Hood. They thought they had glimpsed
480-458: A week's wages, equivalent to about $ 170.00 today ) for each wagon and ten cents for each head of horse, mule, ass, or horned cattle. The grant named the route "Mount Hood Road"—but it was immediately known as the "Barlow Road." The road was built with the financial backing of Philip Foster and a crew of forty men. Five toll gates were eventually built along the route. Barlow's estimate of $ 4000 (equivalent to $ 131,000 today ) had underestimated
540-501: Is far less wind in the fall than in spring and early summer, though passing frontal systems can still bring quick bouts of strong wind. Winter is the wet season in The Dalles. Despite the rain shadow effect created by the Cascades, there is still enough precipitation most years to support relatively high soil moisture levels for most of the winter. This is a very similar pattern to what happens in classic Mediterranean climates – except that
600-452: Is home to Oregon School District 21. Originally 2 school districts; District 9 in the Chenoweth area and District 12 which included much of The Dalles. District 21 includes 3 elementary schools: Colonel Wright Elementary, Chenoweth Elementary and Dry Hollow Elementary. District 21 is also home to Innovations Academy, The Dalles Middle School and The Dalles High School . St Mary's Academy is
660-603: The Cascade Range and reach the Willamette Valley , which had previously been nearly impossible. Even so, it was by far the most harrowing 100 miles (160 km) of the nearly 2,000-mile (3,200 km) Oregon Trail. Before the opening of the Barlow Road, pioneers traveling by land from the east followed the Oregon Trail to Wascopam Mission (now The Dalles ) and floated down the Columbia River to Fort Vancouver , then
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#1732851557988720-627: The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area . The area around The Dalles is known to have been a trading center for Native Americans as long as 10,000 years ago and is thus one of the oldest inhabited places in North America . The site of what is now the city of The Dalles was a major Native American trading center. The general area is one of the continent's most significant archaeological regions. Lewis and Clark camped near Mill Creek on October 25–27, 1805, and recorded
780-509: The Pacific DC Intertie which sends 3,100 megawatts of electricity to Los Angeles. In 1982, a curly-coated kitten was born on a farm in The Dalles owned by Linda and Dick Koehl. The Koehls used this kitten and her offspring to develop a new breed of cat called the LaPerm , which went on to become a popular, established, championship pedigree cat breed around the world. In 1984, The Dalles
840-670: The Wascopam Mission , after the native Wasco Indians. In 1850 the U.S. Army founded a small post at the site of the old mission, being eventually named Fort Dalles . Fort Dalles became the nucleus of the town of The Dalles, which began to develop along the waterfront. In 1855, at the end of the Cayuse War , the Indians living near The Dalles were forcibly relocated by the U.S. Army to the Warm Springs Indian Reservation . In
900-524: The census of 2010, there were 13,620 people, 5,472 households, and 3,441 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,144.9 inhabitants per square mile (828.2/km). There were 5,903 housing units at an average density of 929.6 per square mile (358.9/km). The racial makeup of the city was 87.9% White , 0.5% African American , 1.5% Native American , 1.0% Asian , 0.8% Pacific Islander , 5.7% from other races , and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 17.0% of
960-575: The 1813 liquidation of the PFC, its properties like Fort Astoria sold to the North West Company. In 1821 the North West Company was absorbed by the giant London-based Hudson's Bay Company (HBC). Fort Vancouver , built in 1824, replaced Fort Astoria as the regional fur trade headquarters. The HBC's trading network made extensive use of the Columbia River. The rapids of the Columbia River at The Dalles
1020-619: The Indian name for the creek as Quenett . The name of the city comes from the French word dalle , meaning either "sluice", akin to English "dale" and German T [ h ] al , "valley", or "flagstone", referring to the columnar basalt rocks carved by the river (in voyageur French used to refer to rapids), which was used by the French-Canadian employees of the North West Company to refer to
1080-735: The United Kingdom and the Benelux countries), as well as in China and Brazil. Barlow Road The Barlow Road (at inception, Mount Hood Road ) is a historic road in what is now the U.S. state of Oregon . It was built in 1846 by Sam Barlow and Philip Foster , with authorization of the Provisional Legislature of Oregon , and served as the last overland segment of the Oregon Trail . Its construction allowed covered wagons to cross
1140-490: The Willamette Valley traveled the Barlow Road, with most of the remainder choosing the Columbia River route. Barlow's concession expired in 1848, and he and Foster terminated their largely unprofitable partnership on November 29, 1848. Barlow turned the road over to the state, but it fell into disrepair, and became almost impassible. Others continued to operate the toll road, but weather and mountain conditions made this
1200-509: The Willamette Valley, and learned from the Indigenous people in the region of a trail leading to Oregon City, but returned to Tygh Creek about five days after their departure. There Joel Palmer was waiting for him with a 23 wagon party. Palmer had followed Barlow for a better route, and had just returned from exploring the same area. The combined company organized road clearing through the forest, mostly by burning. The clearing party made it to
1260-420: The age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40, and the average family size was 2.94. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under
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#17328515579881320-458: The age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 35,430, and the median income for a family was $ 43,041. Males had a median income of $ 36,387 versus $ 22,583 for females. The per capita income for
1380-476: The age of 48. Highways I-84 , US 30 , and US 197 meet in the city. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 20.61 square miles (53.38 km), of which 20.35 square miles (52.71 km) is land and 0.26 square miles (0.67 km) is water. The Dalles is usually classified as a semiarid (Köppen BSk ) climate region. However, it has some characteristics of
1440-665: The building was put to other uses. The mint is now home to Freebridge Brewing. Construction of The Dalles Dam in 1957 submerged the Long Narrows and Celilo Falls . In 1963, Ken Kesey 's novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was published featuring the narrator, Chief, who is from The Dalles. In 1970, the Bonneville Power Administration opened the Celilo Converter Station near the northern terminus of
1500-641: The city was $ 17,511. About 9.0% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over. The Northwest Cherry Festival is held in The Dalles in April. In 1984, The Dalles was the scene of a bioterrorist incident launched by members of the Rajneesh Movement in an attempt to gain control of the local government of Wasco County, which failed on Election Day. Salmonella placed in ten restaurants resulted in 751 cases of Salmonellosis . It
1560-448: The city. The population density was 892.3/km. There were 5,227 housing units at an average density of 383.7/km. The racial makeup of the city was 87.8% White , 0.4% African American , 1.2% Native American , 1.0% Asian , 0.8% Pacific Islander , 6.2% from other races , and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 10.5% of the population. There were 4,896 households, out of which 30.0% had children under
1620-493: The early 1840s American settlers began to arrive in significant numbers, traveling overland via the Oregon Trail . The trail ended at The Dalles. It was not possible to take wagons farther west due to steep cliffs that fell straight into the Columbia River. Until the construction of the Barlow Road in 1846, the only way to reach Fort Vancouver and the Willamette Valley was by rafting down the river from The Dalles. A post office
1680-403: The eastern slope, especially where it traversed the canyon of White River. The Oak Grove Road from Salmon River Meadows to Wapinitia was not a part of the original Barlow Road, though frequently spoken of as such. The construction of the Barlow Road contributed more towards the prosperity of the Willamette Valley and the future State of Oregon, than any other achievement prior to the building of
1740-483: The group, arranged for guards for their wagons at a place they named Fort Deposit. Several families in wagons ill-suited for travel through the wilderness remained at Fort Deposit, while the remainder returned to The Dalles. Barlow's group followed the Sandy River west on foot. Palmer noted an intersection with a trail coming from The Dalles by way of Lolo Pass, around the north side of Mount Hood, which had previously been
1800-604: The long series of major rapids in the river. Starting in the 1810s, Americans and Europeans passed by what became The Dalles, active in the North American fur trade as employees of either the American Pacific Fur Company (PFC) or the Canadian North West Company (NWC). Men like NWC officer David Thompson voyaged both down and up the Columbia, traveling through Celilo Falls. The War of 1812 led to
1860-554: The midlatitude oceanic climate that dominates west of the Cascade Mountains, combined with seasonal precipitation patterns very similar to those found in Mediterranean climates. The city's location in the eastern Columbia Gorge results in the presence of numerous microclimates within a few miles of town. To the immediate west, the winters are significantly wetter, and summers are significantly cooler. In contrast, upland locations to
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1920-465: The number of trees to be cut down and forgotten the numerous challenging bridges that would have to be built over rivers such as the Sandy, Zigzag , White, and Salmon . The White River continues to challenge its bridges to this day. In its first season of operation, Barlow recorded the passage of 152 wagons, 1300 sheep, 1559 mules, horses, and cattle. Despite ongoing maintenance, the general condition of
1980-462: The occasional sporadic thunderstorm, there is almost no summer rainfall. From late September through early November, the area experiences an abrupt autumn during which normal temperatures drop very rapidly and cloudy, wet weather quickly picks up. Prior to the sudden onset of the rainy season in mid- to late fall, there are often days with a very wide disparity between daytime and nighttime temperatures, sometimes exceeding 36 °F or 20 °C. There
2040-505: The only overland trail traversed by pioneers. Near the present-day city of Sandy , they turned southwest to reach Eagle Creek and Philip Foster's farm near present-day Clackamas . That autumn, Barlow considered the route over the mountains and petitioned the Provisional Legislature of Oregon for permission to build a road on December 9, 1845, claiming that his estimated cost of $ 4000 was lower than that of others familiar with
2100-787: The origin), then turns west and roughly parallels the White River on the north and then west, crosses the south shoulder of Mount Hood at Barlow Pass , follows Camp Creek and the Sandy River for some way, and finally leads to Oregon City . The road was rendered largely irrelevant in the early 1900s by the construction of the Mount Hood Highway . It still exists as a dirt road in some places, while many other parts have been paved over by newer streets and highways. When Sam Barlow arrived at The Dalles late September 1845, as many as sixty families were waiting for river transport. The expected wait
2160-612: The original Barlow Road in Wasco County traverses an unpopulated area within Mount Hood National Forest and follows small Forest Service roads and "Jeep trails", then Rock Creek Dam Road, and finally Wamic Market Road, north of the White River, from the Cascades to Tygh Valley. The areas east of Mount Hood National Forest have always been sparsely populated. Good wagon wheel rut viewing is possible at Pioneer Woman's Grave near Bennett Pass and in several other places. Much of
2220-529: The path from Idaho to the Pacific Ocean as the "Old Oregon Trail" route and approved signage with a prairie schooner and oxen for motor travelers to navigate. In 1978, the entire Oregon Trail, including the Barlow Road, was named a National Historic Trail by the U.S. Congress . In 1992, the Barlow Road was placed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district . In 2005, part of it
2280-442: The population. There were 5,472 households, of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.1% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
2340-470: The railways in 1870. — Matthew Deady , Oregon's first federal judge In 1849, a military wagon train destined for Oregon forts passed over the road. It carried 250 short tons (230 t) of munitions in more than 400 wagons pulled by 1700 mules. From the beginning of Barlow Road to the camp the soldiers made at what has been known since as Government Camp , they abandoned 45 wagons after dozens of mules died of starvation. Various owners operated
2400-518: The rapids of the Columbia River between the present-day city and Celilo Falls . Also in the same area was the Petites Dalles or Little Dalles, or Short Narrows. In French, "les dalles" means "the slabs". When a river flows over hard flat rocks, it becomes shallow, and rapids are created. The first use of the name Dalles , according to Oregon Geographic Names , appears in fur trader Gabriel Franchère 's Narrative , on April 12, 1814, referring to
2460-522: The road until 1882. Ownership then passed to the Mount Hood & Barlow Road Company. E. Henry Wemme purchased that company in 1912, and made improvements to the road. Wemme's attorney, George W. Joseph , became the owner upon Wemme's death in 1914, in a probate dispute so contentious that it shaped the 1930 race for Governor of Oregon . Joseph and his wife donated the road to the people of Oregon in 1919. The 1923 Oregon Legislative Assembly designated
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2520-420: The road was considered to vary from "rough to barely passable." The direction of travel was effectively one-way until 1861, when a better road was blasted through Laurel Hill . Despite the expense and difficulties of passage, the road was very popular, with more than a thousand immigrants and approximately 150 wagons recorded in the first year of operation. Approximately three-quarters of the settlers entering
2580-477: The route. Permission was granted with a vote of 8-2 on December 17, 1845, approved by Speaker pro-tem Henry A. G. Lee , and signed into law by Governor George Abernethy . God never made a mountain but what He provided a place for man to go over or around it. —Sam Barlow, while awaiting a Columbia River boat, contemplated an overland road. The road's toll was authorized for two years effective January 1, 1846 and specified toll rates at five dollars (about
2640-554: The sea. The term "inland port" is also used to refer to a dry port . The United States Army Corps of Engineers publishes biannually a list of such locations and for this purpose states that "inland ports" are ports that are located on rivers and do not handle deep draft ship traffic . The list includes ports such as St. Louis , Cincinnati , Pittsburgh , Kansas City , and Memphis . A dense network of inland waterways including ports exists also in Europe (France, Germany, Poland, Russia,
2700-403: The south are significantly cooler in all seasons. The generally warm and dry summers near town make it the ideal climate for the numerous Bing cherry orchards in the area. The summer season runs from mid-June through early September and is quite warm by Pacific Northwest standards; however, summer weather often oscillates between intense heat waves and much cooler and windier periods. Except for
2760-432: The spring frost dates can range from mid-March to early May, and the fall frost dates can range from late September to mid-November. A weather station is located at nearby Columbia Gorge Regional Airport , also known as The Dalles Municipal Airport . In 2006, Google began building a major data center, known locally as Project 02 , along the Columbia River in The Dalles, using the area's reliable hydroelectric power and
2820-457: The summer, winter temperatures can vary tremendously from one day to the next. During arctic air events the daytime high temperatures will generally be well below 32 °F or 0 °C, while a strong subtropical push can raise temperatures into the 50s and low 60s F, even in January. It is quite common for relatively cold air to become trapped at low elevations due to an inversion above; depending on
2880-424: The temperature of the surface airmass, depth of the inversion layer, and temperatures above the inversion layer, this can result in snow, sleet, freezing rain or a very cold liquid rain. Springtime conditions generally run from late February through early June, during which time the overall trend gradually becomes warmer and drier and the landscape briefly turns lush and green. This is the windiest season of all, with
2940-747: The temperatures are significantly colder. The area receives measurable snowfall virtually every year, but the snow totals fluctuate dramatically from one year to the next; some seasons see only one or two brief light snow events while others get major snowstorms and cumulative totals of 20 inches (0.51 m) or more. The most snowfall in a season has been 85.5 inches (2.17 m) between July 1949 and June 1950. Average winter temperatures are only about 3 to 5 °F (1.7 to 2.8 °C) colder than in cities such as Portland and Seattle, and temperatures below 0 °F or −17.8 °C are very rare, but not unheard of – historically occurring on three mornings out of every five winters, but only once since February 1996. As in
3000-428: The top of a ridge, now known as Barlow Pass, where they were effectively lost. Barlow, Palmer, and a man named Harrison Porter Locke hiked the south face of Mount Hood west of Palmer Glacier to scout a westward route off the mountain. Palmer, in better physical condition than his companions, climbed high on a glacier (likely Zigzag Glacier ), and took detailed notes on the surrounding ridges and rivers. They returned to
3060-468: The underutilized fiber optic capacity of the area. The new complex includes two buildings, each approximately the size of a football field, and two cooling plants, each four stories high. The project promised hundreds of jobs in the area, mainly in construction, with an additional 200 permanent positions expected later in 2006 although as of 2013 Google employed only 150 combined company employees and contractors in The Dalles. In 2021, Wasco County published
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#17328515579883120-591: The western side of the Cascades, U.S. Route 26 follows more or less the same route from Sandy to Government Camp; south of Government Camp, US 26 follows a valley just west of the Barlow Road's route along Barlow Creek. The route is concurrent with a few miles of the southern end of Oregon Route 35, and much of the Mount Hood Highway. The Barlow Road is intact as a dirt road in a roughly north–south stretch along Barlow Creek; other portions are pristine ruts up to six feet (1.8 m) deep. The easternmost part of
3180-436: Was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.99. The median age in the city was 39.7 years. 23.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.1% were from 25 to 44; 25.8% were from 45 to 64; and 17.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 12,156 people, 4,896 households, and 3,226 families residing in
3240-460: Was established within the boundaries of the current city in 1851, and The Dalles was incorporated as a city in 1857. It has been the major commercial center between Portland and Pendleton since. The city was originally named just "Dalles". In 1853 it was changed to "Wascopum," then, in 1860, to "The Dalles". In 1864, the U.S. Congress appropriated money to build a U.S. mint in The Dalles that
3300-560: Was incorporated into the Mount Hood Scenic Byway . The Mount Hood National Recreation Area was designated in 2009, including Barlow Pass. The Oregon Trail, Barlow Road Segment is a small segment of an alternate route, near Wemme, that was separately listed on the National Register in 1974. Also Rock Corral on the Barlow Road , a campsite on the Barlow Road near Brightwood , was also separately NRHP-listed in 1974. On
3360-464: Was more than ten days, and the transportation "exorbitantly" priced. Local inquiries turned up little information about traveling over the mountains except that water, timber, and grazing were plentiful. Barlow and H. M. Knighton set out to determine the feasibility of a route, seeking a more expedient and less expensive way to the Willamette Valley. Knighton decided it was impractical after 20 or 25 miles (30–40 km) and returned. Barlow forged on with
3420-463: Was the first known bioterrorism attack of the 20th century in the United States. The circumstances of the attack are documented in an American Medical Association article (JAMA Vol 278, No 5, page 389, 6 Aug 1997). The Dalles has one sister city : Inland port An inland port is a port on an inland waterway , such as a river , lake , or canal , which may or may not be connected to
3480-407: Was the largest and longest of the four "great portages", where fur trading boats had to unload and transship their cargoes. Sometimes, during high water, boats traveling downriver would "shoot the rapids" instead of portaging, although the practice was dangerous and many people died as a result over the years. In 1838 a branch of Jason Lee's Methodist Mission was established at Celilo Falls, named
3540-531: Was the site of the first and single largest bioterrorism attack in United States history . In 1986, Penalty Phase , a film starring Peter Strauss and Melissa Gilbert , was filmed in and around The Dalles. In 2018, Terry A. Davis , creator of the TempleOS operating system, walked from Portland, Oregon to The Dalles in three days via the Columbia River Gorge. There, he was struck by a train and died at
3600-463: Was to use gold from Canyon City for coinage . The supply of gold from Canyon City began to dwindle, however, and other problems, such as cost overruns, workers leaving to work the gold fields, and flooding from the Columbia River, also contributed to the project running two years behind schedule and led eventually to its demise. In 1870, the State of Oregon received the property from the U.S. Government and
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