The Columbia River is a big part of the Oregon country since the beginning. It was a way of life for the natives in the area. It was an important river for transportation of the immigrants and still remains so today as you will see barges full of crops etc. going up and down the river. It remains a big recreation spot in Oregon from wind surfing, boating, fishing, swimming, water skiing. It remains important to the natives as their way of life they use the fish in the river. Native cooked salmon over an open fire is one my cherished delights to eat.
The natives helped the first settlers across the river and guided and helped them build watercraft to travel the river not knowing that soon they would come in waves and take over their land. If they could have seen into the future a different story would be told today.
People can be so selfish when it comes to something they want, a lot don't care who they stomp on to get what they want. I hate the laws that allow them to take property because it is the "best" for the public. Who says it is the best as it sure isn't the property owners. I have a friend that they came in and cut his ranch in half out of Baker to put I84 in. Now instead of driving his cows to a new pasture in spring, he must gather and load all of them in a truck after truck load and haul many miles to get to the rest of his ranch and summer grazing area and then do the same thing in late fall where he can feed them during the winter. An 80 year old man in Bend Oregon lost his house that he had been born and raised in and never lived anywhere else where they could put a stupid round up in. Can you tell I dislike roundups? People who invented them never drove big rigs through that area. How hard is it to start your life over at 80, he doesn't even have energy to put everything away even if they pack and move it. I can't even imagine how heart broke he was. He fought it so hard and all he got out of it was lawyer fees and still lost his lifetime home. He knows how the natives felt for sure.
I know we depend on electric and the dams made electric cheaper to use but what did we give up for it? I still get mad when I think of them flooding The Cove to make Round Butte dam. Some of the most beautiful scenery in Oregon now buried under mud and chemicals from insecticides and is now a yucky green.
They did the same thing to our beautiful Columbia. I know a guy that was elderly and lost his farm when they built dams on the Columbia and flooded his farm. It broke his heart. You might say it was good for most, well who decides what is good for who and who doesn't count?
I hate the falls were covered up and the natives lost even more of their heritage and way to eat and make a living for progress. Well progress has made our world what it is today. No regard for nature, littering everywhere, destruction of property, we don't even know our neighbors. In many ways the old ways were hard but people needed each other and were there for each other. When I grew up we always left our keys in our cars because a neighbor might have an emergency and need it. One time we came home from a vacation to see relatives and our truck was gone. Did we call the police, nope, dad said I wish I knew who had it where I could go help them. About two weeks later our truck came home with a home baked pie and a big thank you, I would have lost my crop without that truck.
Many farmers and ranchers are still that way. When my dad got hurt and lost his hands, (they sewed them back on but they didn't work hardly at all) the neighbors came over and worked his fields up and put his crop in for the year. I loved growing up country and I still love central Oregon with a total passion.
Even today this Columbia River remains a big part of Oregon in so many ways. Treat her well people as she is a life line. Please do not throw litter in her, don't dump your soapy water etc. in her. Treat her well and she will help you for years to come. Pollute her and she will become a sewer.
