Boy Identified in Shannon's Trivia Winner: A Bridge too far...
Do you know who this boy is? We do now - read below to see who got this triple-clutch answer. It was kind of unfair as he had unique information. Ah, but knowledge is power!
By Tom Peterson with photos and background from John Foley
The Dalles, Ore., May 28, 2024 —It was a bridge too far - No one could answer last weeks question on when The Dalles Bridge was completed.
Psych!!!
We’re smarter than that.
We got multiple correct answers, 10 in fact, with some big bonus information. The bridge was completed in 1953, according to numerous sources.
But, alas, there could only be one winner, winner, ice cream dinner!
And from our magic waffle cone machine, we pulled the name Nera Griffin!
Nera made it in by the skin of her teeth, answering the question on Saturday, May 28 at 10:08 p.m.
Fortune cares not about details. Come on down, Nera, and pick up your $25 gift certificate to Shannon’s Ice Cream.
Shannon sends this double scoop of congratulations to this week’s winner Nera Griffin. Shannon and Johnathon serve joy daily from noon to 9 p.m. at 318 E. Fourth Street, across the street from the Civic Auditorium at Shannon’s Ice Cream. Sugar free, non-dairy options included. Homemade delicious con delectable.
Big brain awards go to Kim Birge, Diana Compton, Bruce Harris, Amy Ellis, Robert Thouvenel, Tom Traumantina who all knew that the supports built upstream were for the original bridge location that was eventually scrubbed.
”The second set of rectangular concrete supports were from the original bridge construction,” said Traumantina. “The Corps of Engineers determined that the spillways for the dam needed to be located farther downstream than initially thought so the bridge had to be resited to its current location. The Celilo Inn was originally built by Ed Seufert and operated as Eddy’s Motel. It is my understanding that the motel site was chosen because Highway 197 would have gone past the motel to connect with the bridge.
“And finally for the “triple clutch” the child in the picture is me,” Traumantina wrote. “The photo was taken by my dad, Sam Tramontina, who took weekly photos of progress on the construction project.”
A big shout out to our other participants who got the question right - Jann Halstead, Denise Ellis, Dale Christiansen, Charla Fraley and Rodger Nichols.
Many contestants even noted the day the bridge opened - Dec. 18, 1953 - “Supposedly, the same day they poured the first bucket of cement on the dam,” Nichols said.
The bridge was completed for $2.4 million. It was a toll bridge until the bonds were paid off. The toll was lifted on November 1, 1974, From Historylink.org
John Foley also supplied this photo which shows the concrete supports toward the bottom of the photo for the bridge that was never built. The original location was moved as the siting of The Dalles Dam took precedent over the highway bridge.
Support Local News & History
Available to everyone. Funded by readers.
