Bridge of the Gods (land bridge) facts for kids
The Bridge of the Gods was a natural land bridge that once crossed the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. It was formed by a huge landslide called the Bonneville Slide. This landslide blocked the river near where Cascade Locks, Oregon is today.
Over time, the powerful Columbia River broke through this natural dam, washing most of it away. But the memory of this amazing event lives on in the stories and legends of Native American tribes, who call it the Bridge of the Gods.
Today, there is also a modern, man-made bridge with the same name. It crosses the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington.
How the Bridge of the Gods Formed
Scientists have studied the Bonneville landslide for many years. They use different methods like looking at tree rings (dendrochronology) and carbon dating to figure out when it happened. At first, they thought it happened around the 1100s. More recent studies suggest it might have happened later, possibly around the year 1450.
This massive landslide sent a huge amount of rock and dirt from Table Mountain and Greenleaf Peak tumbling south. It covered more than 5.5 square miles (14 square kilometers)! The debris slid into the Columbia Gorge, blocking the Columbia River.
The landslide created a natural dam about 200 feet (60 meters) high and 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers) long. This dam caused the river to back up, forming a large lake that stretched for about 35 miles (56 kilometers). The lake drowned many trees, and some people believe Native Americans might have walked across this natural dam.
Eventually, the strong Columbia River broke through the dam. It washed away most of the debris, creating fast-moving water called the Cascades Rapids. These rapids were later covered by water when the Bonneville Dam was built in 1938.
Geologists have found that the Bonneville landslide was part of an even bigger area of landslides called the Cascades landslide complex. The Bonneville landslide was the most recent and possibly the largest one in this area.
The Native American Legend
Native American stories often explain natural events like the eruptions of volcanoes in the Cascade Mountains. One of the most famous stories is the Bridge of the Gods legend, told by the Klickitat tribe.
In their tale, the chief of all gods, Tyhee Saghalie, traveled from the Far North with his two sons, Pahto and Wy'east. They were looking for a good place to live.
They found a beautiful area now called The Dalles. The sons argued over who would settle there. To solve the problem, their father shot two arrows from his powerful bow: one to the north and one to the south. Pahto followed the arrow north, and Wy'east followed the arrow south.
Saghalie then built a special bridge called Tanmahawis, the Bridge of the Gods. This bridge allowed his family to meet whenever they wanted.
Later, both Pahto and Wy'east fell in love with a beautiful maiden named Loowit. She couldn't choose between them. The two young chiefs fought over her, causing huge earthquakes that buried villages and forests. The land was devastated, and the earth shook so violently that the huge bridge fell into the river. This created the Cascades Rapids in the Columbia River Gorge.
As punishment, Saghalie turned each of the lovers into great mountains where they fell. Wy'east, who was proud, became the volcano we know today as Mount Hood. Pahto, who was sad and bent his head toward his lost love, became Mount Adams. The fair Loowit became Mount St. Helens, which the Klickitats called Louwala-Clough, meaning "smoking or fire mountain."
Images for kids
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Greenleaf Peak and the Bonneville landslide from Bonneville Dam
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The southern face of Greenleaf Peak
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The southern face of Table Mountain
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Bonneville Landslide / Bridge of the Gods
