This was the bakery for the fort established at the Dalles by the U.S. government. After the troops were removed it became known as Benzer's Bakery. It is still standing (1928). Joaquin Miller and Mr. Benzer are in the picture.
On October 9, 1848, General John G. Adair was appointed as the first collector of customs for Oregon, with his office at Astoria. He at first occupied an office in a rented building but the government soon erected the building which is pictured here- the first custom house in the territory.
This is one of the principal scenic attractions on the famous Highway. The property was presented to the people of Oregon by the owner, George Shepperd, as a memorial to his wife. Although a poor man, Mr. Shepperd refused attractive cash offers from persons who wished to commercialize the beauty of the place.
The Pillars of Hercules stand close to the railroad and always incite the admiration and wonder of those who pass by. On the top of one of these basaltic needles grows an ancient fir tree about 40 feet high and which is said to be over one hundred years old.
Another bit of enchanting scenery is Multnomah Falls, which someone has called the 'Queen of Cataracts in the Columbia Valley'. Here the water drops precipitously for 541 feet to a ledge, where it forms the second or lower falls, then plunges another 69 feet farther down before it rushes into the arms of the great river. The small bridge shown in the picture was erected by S. Benson, a well-known philanthropist and benefactor of the highway, and stands at the crest of the lower falls. Persons on the small bridge can gain an excellent view of the upper fall and the pool below. All trains on the Union Pacific stop at Multnomah Falls for five minutes to allow tourists to feast their eyes on it. The falls and some of the mountainous land around now constitute a public park owned by the City of Portland.
This is one of two great rocks on opposite sides of the Columbia which represent opposing Indian chiefs in the contest for the hand of a beautiful dusky maiden.
This is another view of the queenly falls apparelled in wind-blown spray. It is said that the spray is sometimes blown a distance of nearly half a mile.
Passing over one of Portland's bridges on the Willamette River, one would see such a scene as this showing a part of the harbor frequented daily by ocean going vessels as well as many river boats.