Cascade Locks Historical Museum to exhibit “Riveting History: 100 Years of the Bridge of the Gods” at Oregon State Capitol

The Cascade Locks Historical Museum will bring "Riveting History: 100 Years of the Bridge of the Gods" to the Oregon State Capitol in Salem. It will be on display September 3 through October 1, 2026 as part of the Capitol History Gateway exhibit program.

The exhibit marks a milestone for one of the Columbia River Gorge's most recognizable landmarks: the Bridge of the Gods. The bridge will have officially spanned the river between Cascade Locks, Oregon, and Stevenson, Washington, for 100 years as of October 26, 2026. The exhibit traces the bridge's story: from the legend behind its name, the entrepreneurs who backed its construction, the crews who built it, and the century of traffic it has carried since.

“The bridge is an icon: an astounding engineering feat with an interwoven history of commerce, legend, and community," said Janice Crane, Executive Director of the Cascade Locks Historical Museum. "At a century old, the Bridge of the Gods remains a vital artery for regional trade and travel and a memorable part of our destination for visitors from around the world."

The exhibit’s placement at the State Capitol extends its reach well beyond the Gorge, introducing visitors, students, and lawmakers from across Oregon to a structure that has connected the state's communities for a century. The installation is supported in part by the Oregon State Capitol Foundation.

Visitors to the Capitol can view "Riveting History: 100 Years of the Bridge of the Gods" free of charge during regular building hours from September 3 through October 1, 2026. A copy of the exhibit is also currently on display at the Cascade Locks Historical Museum during regular business hours, and an online version is available at www.cascadelocksmuseum.org/riveting-history.

The Capitol History Gateway program brings Oregon's history to life at the Oregon State Capitol through events and exhibits highlighting the people, places, and communities that make up the state. The program, including the “Riveting History” exhibit, is funded by the Oregon State Capitol Foundation.

The Cascade Locks Historical Museum is a community history museum celebrating the people of Cascade Locks, Oregon. The museum is located in a 1905 lock tender house in the Cascade Locks Marine Park National Historic Site. The museum is open seasonally from March through October.

In the news: KGW's "What's in a Name?" Warrendale, Oregon

Friends of the Cascade Locks Historical Museum executive director Janice Crane appeared on KGW 8’s “What’s in a Name?” series. Do you know how Warrendale, Oregon, got it’s name? Learn now on KGW’s site.

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.