Abdulla Ali

Benjamin Craig - Work of Art

5/10/2016
Walking tour final

The theme that Ive chosen is all about the beauty of art in nature, specifically called it Nature
and human beauty. This particular tour focuses on how the beauty of nature combines with the
power of human art to create an astonishing place. The idea of this theme and tour is to show that
a lot of the natural parks we see are highly influenced by human buildings and constructions
around the park to make it accessible and easier for people to spend time in. The reason why I
chose this topic is because a lot of people dont realize that we only see a small portion of the
nature. True scenic, natural views come from places that are not marked on Google maps or
TripAdvisor. These are places that are owned by the environment and not the people. The
location that I chose for the tour is Multnomah falls, because it is a phenomenal place that is very
beautiful. However, a lot of this natural view is occupied by parking spaces, restaurant, bridges,
paved areas, etc. It is very surprising how a lot of these natural places are overwhelmed with
human activity and economy which takes some of the beauty away. These definitely do make it
easier for people explore the natural scenery but, some feel it can take away the experience.
Stops:

The first stop is the parking outside the park. This is the first stop and the start of the tour and it's
meant to show how much people there are in the current time youre in. While walking to the
next stop, think about how convenient it is to get to the fall and just park your vehicle in the area
provided because the theme is to look at the human work in natural parks

The first stop is located near Multnomah Falls lodge Restaurant and Lounge. This restaurant that
is located only steps away from the actual fall serves upscale Northwest style cuisine with an
emphasis on fresh local ingredients. This building was designed by the noted Portland architect
Albert E. Doyle and was completed in 1925. The lodge exterior was in the Cascadian style,
using native split fieldstone laid irregularly and varying in shades from black and gray to brown
and red. Its encounter Englishs form includes a steeply pitched cedar-shingled gable roof with
dormers and massive chimneys. The Historic Lodge now houses The Multnomah Falls Lodge
Restaurant, Gift Shop, Snack Bar, Espresso Bar and Interpretive Center. Is all of that necessary to
have next to a waterfall? The building is owned by the US Forest Service since 1939 and is
operated by the Multnomah Falls Co. which is a privately held company in Bridal Veil, OR.
Obviously the purpose of this website to show the best about the location to attract as many
tourists as possible. Also, the lodge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on
April 22, 1981. This building is an example of human artwork.

The next stop is the point where the paved path leads to the front of the fall. There youll see a
sign/statue that explains the story behind the fall and how it was formed. The waterfall formed as
result of the Missoula Floods. The Missoula Floods are the cataclysmic floods that swept
periodically across eastern Washington and down the Columbia River Gorge at the end of the last
ice age. The waters of the floods enhanced the cliff and face of Multnomah Falls thousands of
years ago when water eroded away the soft material, highlighting the cliff face. All this
information is presented in a huge sign near the middle of the paved walk which is very
informational. But the way the information presented can be bothering to some people. Do you
need a huge sign for it or can you search it by yourself at home? The signs are made by the US
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. The area between the lodge and the footbridge, along

with adjoining stone walks, benches, and interpretive displays, has been remade and remodeled
continually since the 1920s. Beginning in the late 1980s, Multnomah Falls Scenic Area came
under the jurisdiction of the newly organized Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, with
planning strategies for its future coordinated with similar U.S. Forest Service activities at other
sites in the gorge. The information was researched from the Oregon Tourism Commission also
known as TravelOregon. The OTC is a semi-independent agency of the government of Oregon
based in the state capital of Salem. The agency is run by a nine-member board appointed by the
governor, and governs several programs that work to grow the state economy by promoting
tourism. Again, main goal is to attract as much tourists as possible. Governor John Kitzhaber has
said, "The tourism industry generates $9.2 billion in economic impact in Oregon and supports
more than 91,000 jobs

This stop is the Benson bridge. The bridge, constructed in 1914, allows visitors to cross over the
lower falls and continue their paved trail journey to the viewing platform at the top. The platform
offers dynamic views of the waterfall, Multnomah Falls Lodge, grounds, and the Columbia River
Gorge. The bridge offers a truly remarkable view of the fall. However, when you take a picture
from the bottom up, the bridge would block the full view and disturb the true quality of nature.
This is the story of how it was built. One day while out at the site with Simon Benson Lancaster
remarked to the wealthy Portland lumberman and good roads enthusiast, that it would be nice if
there were a footbridge across the lower waterfall, with a path up to and across it so that visitors
could look up at that magnificent waterfall above, then without moving look down on the lower
one into the pool below. Benson, the person who the bridge was named after, asked what it might
cost and Lancaster calculated the figures on the back of an envelope. Benson then wrote out a
check for the amount and directed Lancaster to build it. The resulting footbridge is a 45-0

reinforced-concrete deck arch, 105 above the lower Multnomah Falls. Benson later purchased
nearly 1,000 acres along the Columbia River, including 140 acres around Multnomah Falls
which he gave to Portland for a city park. The information above was collected from the National
Park service, Oregon Department of Transportation, Oregon State Archives, and Oregon
Department of Transportation Environmental Services. This building is another example of
human artwork.

The 4th stop I want to talk about is the beginning of the Larch Mountain Trailhead. It is located
after the bridge and is a great, small view of the paved areas and the fall. The reason why I chose
this point is because you can get a birds eye view of the bottom where the lodge and the paved
area is. Also, it is the start of a spectacular hike.As you hike the trail, think about all the
conveniences that were made for the hikers to make it easier or safer for them to walk through
the trail, and think about that would change if there was nothing. On January 28, 1915, Lancaster
recommended to the Progressive Business Mens Club of Portland that someone should build a
trail from the base of Multnomah Falls across the footbridge and then to the top of Larch
Mountain, a distance of seven mites because it afforded a beautiful view of the region. The Club
raised several hundred dollars to finance the trail, and Simon Benson and his son Amos S.
Benson pledged another $3,000 for the fund. The United States Forest Service appropriated
$1,500 and agreed to survey and build the trail as well as construct a lookout on the top of Larch
mountain. In July 1915, the companies granted right-of-way for the trail. By early October, the
trail was dedicated at the Larch Mountain lookout. This information was also retrieved by the
Columbia River Highway with the same resources.