Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway, Oregon

The historic Columbia River Highway was constructed from 1913 to 1922 as the nation’s first scenic highway; the Columbia River Gorge is also the nation’s second National Scenic Area, which gives you a hint of how special the byway truly is! Construction of the highway presented many engineering challenges and the roadway was considered oneContinue reading “Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway, Oregon”

Salem, Silverton, and Silver Falls State Park, Oregon

Salem happens to be the capital of the state of Oregon, but Salem is much more than that; Salem sits in the middle of the historic Willamette Valley, a place the original native inhabitants called chem-i-ki-ti, which means meeting place or resting place. The first permanent Euro-American settlement was the Methodist Mission and so muchContinue reading “Salem, Silverton, and Silver Falls State Park, Oregon”

Palouse Falls, Dayton, and Waitsburg, Washington

Sometimes even small towns have a great amount of history; Dayton, Washington is one of those places. The museums are small and the exhibits less spectacular than the big city museums, yet they offer a glimpse into local history that is often just as interesting and inspiring. And, it turns out, Dayton and Waitsburg sitContinue reading “Palouse Falls, Dayton, and Waitsburg, Washington”