Vista House, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon
Posted by: 
Rose Red
N 45° 32.374 W 122° 14.663
10T E 558992 N 5043169
Quick Description: Vista House is located about 24 miles east of Portland on a promontory (Crown Point) rising nearly vertically about 725 feet above the Columbia River.
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 5/9/2007 2:37:20 PM
Waymark Code: WM1H5H
Views: 263
Long Description:
Vista House is located about 24 miles east
of Portland on a promontory (Crown Point) rising nearly vertically
about 725 feet above the Columbia River. Crown Point provides a
"strategic vantage point for observing a classic illustration of
riverine processes."
Edgar Lazarus (1868-1939) designed Vista
House at Crown Point as an example of modern German architecture,
or the German equivalent of Art Nouveau. It was described by
Lazarus as "a temple to the natural beauty of the Gorge." Native
Italian craftsman who built retaining walls and bridges for the
Historic Columbia River Highway laid its foundations without the
use of cement or mortar.
Built in 1917 under the directions of a
Multnomah County road master, John B. Yeon, the two-story structure
has a 64 feet in diameter substructure, 44 feet in diameter upper
structure and 55 feet in height. The exterior is light gray
sandstone. The roof, which for many years was topped with a copper
crown, has been restored to its original surface of matte-glazed
green tiles.
Rare Tokeen Alaskan marble was used to
surface the interior floors and stairs in the rotunda and as
wainscoting on the basement walls. The inside of the dome and its
supporting ribs were painted to simulate the marble and bronze.
Attached to the wall just below the dome, eight busts of four
unidentified American Indians were aligned so that each mirrors its
own likeness. Lancaster furnished plans for other interior
decorations, but they were never completed. The main level windows
of the rotunda, which for many years had been clear glass without
bars, have been restored to their original barred, opaque stained
glass.
Samuel Lancaster (1864-1941) was the Chief
Engineer for the Scenic Columbia River Highway 1913-1915. He was
the pioneer builder of hard-surface roads. His genius overcame
tremendous obstacles extending and replacing the early trail though
the Columbia River Gorge with a highway. "On starting the surveys,
our first business was to find the beauty spots, or those points
where the most beautiful things along the line might be seen in the
best advantage, and if possible to locate the road in such a way as
to reach them." - Samuel Lancaster HCRH Engineer.
Details for Benchmark: RD2204 Described by
Coast and Geodetic Survey 1941 (LAM) Station recovered in good
condition. This checked intersection station is center of dome of
Vista House, prominent masonry structure on summit of well-known
rock cliff above S bank of Columbia River. Top of dome has
approximate 750 feet. Columbia River Highway (U.S. 30) encircles
Vista House, which is at highway mileage 23.8 E of
Portland.
Instructions for logging waymark: visit
Vista House. Log your impressions. A photograph is required of
Vista House with you and/or your GPSr in the picture.
