It was a beautiful morning with sunny skies and a light breeze as the National Geographic Sea Lion maneuvered alongside the dock at The Dalles. The Dalles is located in Wasco County and lies at the meeting point of the arid steppe of the Columbia Plateau and the wet western forest of the Pacific coast.
Our first outing was to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, which was the result of a joint effort between the Forest Service and Wasco County. Their vision of having two museums in one building, including the Wasco County Historical Museum came to fruition and opened in 1997. We enjoyed the beautifully done exhibits and learned that the Native Americans, including the Wishram, Wasco, Tenino, and Tugh have lived for centuries along this part of the Columbia River.
We had several wonderful options next. Some jumped on bicycles and returned to the ship via the new bike path, following the banks of the Columbia River. Others chose to make the trip on foot. Still others went with Jim, the staff historian to the Lewis and Clark Rock Fort site and checked out historical murals, a church and a courthouse.
After lunch we traveled by bus to the large and impressive Maryhill Museum. It was created by Sam Hill and named after his wife Mary and daughter Mary. The museum opened in 1940. It is surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens containing several sculptures. Inside, we learned the history of Sam Hill and were delighted to see a large variety of exhibits ranging from incredible Native American basketry, chess sets, a Rodin collection, and a doll collection clothed in French fashions.
We returned to the National Geographic Sea Lion by expedition landing craft and then went through the John Day lock and dam.
What a great and full day we had!
