By Living Room Realty, July 19, 2018
If you don’t know the The Willamette Falls let me introduce her to you–
The Willamette Falls is the largest waterfall in the Pacific Northwest. It has been an important cultural gathering place for Native American tribes. Tribes used to live on the banks of the river here and were dependent on its abundant food source to survive. The Oregon Trail ended here. Throughout the 1800s, the Falls made history by generating energy for Oregon’s early industries and cities and fueling the nation’s first long-distance electrical power transmission. That industrial legacy ended in 2011, when the Blue Heron Paper Co. closed its doors – the last in a succession of businesses that contributed to Oregon City’s strong working waterfront.
There is a new public vision and master plan taking shape, with the goal of transforming a 23-acre industrial site nestled along the Falls in historic Oregon City. This former paper mill could someday serve as an economic engine, a waterfront destination, a unique habitat, a window into Oregon’s past – and a bold step into our future. Oregon City, Clackamas County, Metro and the State of Oregon are working with the site’s private owners, stakeholders and thousands of community members to bring people up close to the falls. Plans include creating a public riverwalk alongside the Willamette River and laying the groundwork for vibrant downtown development.
For my children and I the Falls have become our watery-mist-summer playground. We use the vacate buildings are diving boards, drift and paddle through the swirling falls and the strong current, swim with the sturgeon and sea lions, watch the tribes people locate the stubborn eels in the late Spring and marvel at the number of herons that come here large numbers. The Willamette Falls has become a memory maker for us. We can’t wait to see it developed and become more accessible to others.
This is Oregon. We are so dang special to live here!
