Dodson, Oregon facts for kids
Dodson is a small, quiet place in Multnomah County, Oregon. It's not an official town or city, but a community located in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. You can find it about 7 kilometers (4.5 miles) east of Multnomah Falls and near major roads like Interstate 84 and U.S. Route 30. Across the Columbia River from Dodson is Skamania, Washington.
What is Dodson?
Dodson is a small community that shares its ZIP code with Cascade Locks. It's known for its scenic location in the Columbia River Gorge, a stunning river valley with tall cliffs and waterfalls.
The Story Behind the Name
Dodson was once a stop on a railroad line that is now owned by Union Pacific. It was named after Ira Dodson, one of the first people to settle in that area. Around 1885, people sometimes called it "Dodsons."
A writer named Ralph Friedman once described Dodson as a "hamlet that time and tracks have passed by." This means it's a very small, quiet place that hasn't grown much over the years. Long ago, Dodson had a gas station and even a motel. There was also a school called Bonneville Grade School, which closed in 1996 because not enough students were attending. This school served children from Dodson, Warrendale, and Bonneville.
Past Industries and Events
Around the year 1900, Dodson was home to the McGowan salmon cannery. A cannery is a factory where fish are processed and put into cans. There was also a fish wheel nearby, which was a large wheel used to catch many fish from the river.
In February 1996, Dodson experienced some big natural events. Large mudslides, called "debris flows," happened between Dodson and Warrendale. These mudslides were caused by the same severe weather that led to major flooding in the Willamette Valley. The mudslides were powerful enough to destroy homes and block both the railroad and Interstate 84 for several days.
Today, a piece of land in the area where the mudslides happened has been given to a group called the Friends of the Columbia Gorge Land Trust. This group helps protect natural areas, and they hope to make this land public so everyone can enjoy it.
