Forums detail original regional lookout towers for wildland fires, Chinese teams that spurred Seufert Cannery success, an ill-fated trip to Walla Walla that led to the death of a local jewish merchant and a deep dive into the Granada Theatre.

“Her Name Was Eleanor:  Teacher, Dancer, Equestrian, Activist” is the title of the February 18 program at the Original Wasco County Courthouse, 410 West 2nd Place in The Dalles.  Saturday’s program begins at 1:30 p.m. and is third in a month-long series of presentations.  

The Columbia Gorge wine region grew from one winery in 1980 to 40 in a 20-year period.  Much of the credit for this growth is due to the work of Saturday’s speaker, Lonnie Wright.

Lloyd DeKay of White Salmon will concentrate on the Ice Age Floods that developed some of the geologic wonders and beauty we marvel at today. The History forum will take place Feb. 4, at the Original Courthouse in The Dalles at 1:30 p.m. The stunning beauty of the Columbia River Gorge is the result of 50 million years of volcanic arc eruptions, massive fissure eruptions of flood basalts, catastrophic sediment-saturated Ice Age Floods, huge landslides, and massive earthquakes.  

Lorena Trickey was a three-time winner of the McAlpin Trophy for bronc, Roman, and relay riding at Cheyenne Frontier Days. In 1925 she won the bronc riding title at Chicago and several championships at Pendleton. She was also acquitted for putting a knife to her husband, ‘Smiling Slim’.

The story of John Woodruff, The Hermit of The Dalles, wagged tongues of older people and conjured mysteries of the bogey man for the children of this gentle man that lived in a cave above the Catholic Cemetary more than 100 years ago. Learn more about his interesting life in a history forum on Saturday, Feb. 20.

Rodger Nichols researched the incident that took place in 1949 when longshoremen at west coast ports honored a strike by their counterparts in Hawaii and refused to unload a shipload of pineapples. The union was not represented in The Dalles, so the ship headed up the Columbia and attempted to unload its cargo at the local port. Soon longshoremen descended on the town and a riot ensued.

During the years 1825-’26 Douglas explored the Columbia River and its tributaries, wintering over at Fort Vancouver. His journeys on the river included an overnight in The Dalles. Later explorations took him to California and eventually to Hawaii where he met an untimely death.

Original Courthouse reveals History Forums for February

The Original Wasco County Courthouse is back on its normal summer schedule after the COVID-19 closures. Days and hours are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“Thunder Go North: The Hunt for Sir Francis Drake’s Fair Bay” is the topic of the second program of the Original Wasco County Courthouse 2021 Regional History Forum. The program will be held via ZOOM at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13.

“Getting on the Map of the National Vote for Women Trail” is the topic of the first program of the Original Wasco County Courthouse 2021 Regional History Forum. The program begins at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6.