Willamette Falls, Natural waterfall in Oregon City, United States.
Willamette Falls is a waterfall spanning 1500 feet across the Willamette River, with a drop of 42 feet (13 meters) over a basalt ledge. The horseshoe formation divides the river into several channels, and water flows over jagged rock formations.
Engineers built a lock in 1873 that allowed boats to navigate around the falls, and the system remained in operation until 2011. Industrial operations grew along the riverbank, using the power of the falling water to drive mills and factories.
Four tribes—Chinook, Clackamas, Molalla, and Cascades—knew the site as Tumwater and used it as a central fishing location for salmon moving upriver. The fishing platforms along the rock ledges served as gathering points for trade and social meetings during the fish runs.
Boat tours from Belle of the Falls run on summer weekends and offer a view from the water. Platforms along the riverbank allow observation from different angles, and early morning often shows calm water before temperatures rise.
The hydroelectric station at the base of the falls has generated electricity since the 1880s and powered the first long-distance transmission line in North America. Cables carried power 14 miles to Portland, showing that energy could move across distances.
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