Preserving and sharing the stories of human enterprise and the power of Willamette Falls.
LADY B Update & Fundraiser
The LADY B is a 40-foot tugboat that was built in 1947. She worked around the Falls for many years and was retired in 2022. Her owners at Wilsonville Concrete didn’t want this classic tug to be scrapped so they generously offered to donate her. But it will take a substantial fundraising efforts to properly preserve and display this veteran of the Willamette.
The Advocates and Wilsonville Concrete are continuing to work with the City of West Linn based on the City Council’s indication that it endorses saving the LADY B and taking ownership of her.
Once the City and the owner have reached an agreement on documentation, the Advocates will start fundraising $250,000 to prepare an outdoor, land-based display.
Our first scheduled fundraiser will be a Friends & Family Night at McMenamins in Wilsonville on Monday April 13, 5:00-10:00 pm. Please come and help support our efforts!
Willamette Falls: An Amazing Place with a Fascinating History
*The Falls are the second largest falls by volume in North America, second only to Niagara Falls.
*Native people have gathered here for millennia to fish and trade. Their heritage and culture is embedded in the swirling waters and basalt cliffs.
*European Americans settled here because of the tremendous economic opportunity The Falls presented. With a drop of 45 feet, it provided a natural source for abundant power to support woolen, lumber, and paper mills. The river served as our first highway to transport the rich resources and goods up and down the valley.
*Oregon City was the first established western place recognized by America and was the capitol of the vast Oregon Territory. In fact, the original plat of San Francisco is still on file at Clackamas County.
*The Falls became home to the first hydropower electrical generation this side of the Mississippi and produced the world’s first long-distance power transmission, 14 miles to downtown Portland.
*The navigational locks at The Falls connected the lower and upper river into one arterial, opening in the shadow of the Civil War.
*Until recently, paper had been produced at The Falls for over 135 years.
We are truly fortunate to live at such a special place as defined by the Willamette River and Willamette Falls.
Recent articles from our Blog:
Advocates for Willamette Falls Heritage is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization established to raise funds for historic preservation, education, and other heritage-related programs and projects in the Willamette Falls area.
PLEASE CONSIDER
DONATING TODAY
Contact
Contact us with any questions or sign up for our Newsletter.
p. 503-703-7303
e. advocateswillamettefalls@gmail.com
On January 30th an early morning fire ripped through the #4 Finishing Room & Warehouse at the long-closed Blue Heron paper mill.