When I saw this dam sign welcoming visitors, another detour was made. I'm enthralled with the power of dams.
McNary Lock & Dam (1954) is a 1.4-mile long concrete gravity run-of-the-river dam which spans the Columbia River. The dam provides for slackwater navigation, hydroelectric power generation, recreation, wildlife habitat, and incidental irrigation.
This is an architectural marvel and a very welcoming place. A lovely public park surrounds it.
We kept hearing loud booms. It was a tourist deterrent zone, for certain!
All along our route, in some unique locations, we found ourselves on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. This exploratory path is approximately 4,900 miles long, extending from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Columbia River, near present day Astoria, Oregon. It follows the historic outbound and inbound routes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition as well as the preparatory section from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Wood River, Illinois. It traverses 16 states and we're on it. Modern day explorers, that's us.
These pyramids intrigued! The plaque on this one reads, "During the construction of the dam, a total of 3,271 of these 12-ton Tetrahedrons were dropped into the Columbia River to complete the closure of the last cofferdam and divert the full flow of the river through the spillway. This method of closure was unique and its success made engineering history."
Our fourth state, if you count California as one (and I do).
The freeway sign invited us to come to Connell and promised an easy entrance to the freeway afterward. It was time for lunch so we parked in front of the 1950's era post office. The community was established in 1883, as a railroad stop, and incorporated in 1910. The primary industrial base is food processing, agricultural chemicals and minimum and medium security correction facilities.
Connell was the recipient of a grant from the Washington State Arts Commission Art in Public Places Program. Throughout town we discovered Wild Life - a series of whimsical bronze sculptures developed by world-renowned artist Tom Otterness depicting life in rural agricultural Washington.
Post Office was a series of three 'letter' themed figures. The Frog Prince is holding a letter from Princess. So cute.
This little sculpture, to me, shows friends arriving via a letter. Isn't snail mail like that? It as if your pen pal mailed at least a small part of herself to you, nestled within each correspondence. What a delightful detour, once again.
We're in Wheat Country!
We'll spend the night at the Wheat Land Communities’ Fairgrounds and Event Facility, located at the crossroads of Interstate 90 and State Highway 395 at Ritzville, Washington, which is deemed "the perfect place for your next reunion, meeting, party, animal event, performing arts production, auction, trade show, retreat, wedding or reception." Or for us, a the perfect place to call it a night.
Our campsite is also the home of the Ritzville Rodeo. Oh man howdy do I wish we were here for that. I do love me a rodeo.
"Home is where you park it!"
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2 comments:
Love the mural on the post office building and the Post Office sculpture series in this town!
How cool that you are camping at the site of a rodeo! Usually when I see campgrounds like that (on fair grounds or whatever) they aren't so nice!
I am impressed that you saw the visitors welcomed notice on the dam sign. Dam you have good eyes. Fun stop!
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