Editing Dallesport, Washington (section)

==History==

The location was traditionally a site of the [[Wishram village|Wishram tribe]] (called "Echeloots" by [[Lewis and Clark]]), who lived on the north bank of the [[Columbia River]] about {{convert|10|mi|0}} in both directions from [[The Dalles, Oregon]]. Although the Wishrams were included in the [[Yakima War|Treaty of Yakima]], they resisted removal to the [[Yakama Indian Reservation|Yakama Reservation]]. Indian burials from Memaloose Island in the Columbia were removed to the Wish-ham Cemetery near Dallesport prior to the filling of [[Lake Celilo]]. The loss of their traditional fishing grounds at Celilo Falls during the construction of [[The Dalles Dam]] in March 1957 dealt both a spiritual and an economic blow to the tribe.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=7800|title=Klickitat County -- Thumbnail History}}</ref>

Originally called "Rockport" or "Rockland Flats", Dallesport was the site of the first [[ferry]] crossing in the area, beginning in 1854.  Rockland Flats was the original seat of Clickitat County (the name of the county was spelled with a "C" until an official name change in 1869), and remained so until 1878. [[Steamship|Riverboat]] traffic moved up and down the river, but could not pass the falls at the Dalles and [[Celilo Falls]]. Portage was originally via a {{convert|19|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} wagon road circumventing the falls. The [[Oregon Portage Railroad]] allowed passage of goods and travelers by rail beginning in 1863, but shippers chafed at the monopoly. In 1905, Congress approved an {{convert|8.5|mi|adj=on}} canal with [[lock (water navigation)|locks]] on the north shore to bypass the falls. The [[Dalles-Celilo Canal]] opened May 5, 1915. The canal incorporated five locks with a total {{convert|90|ft|adj=on}} lift. The canal remained in use until it was flooded by the Dalles Dam in 1957.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=5195| title = - HistoryLink.org}}</ref>

The idea of a bridge crossing at this location was broached beginning in the late 19th century, but was not approved until 1947. [[The Dalles Bridge]] remained unbuilt until Congress approved the Dalles Dam in 1951. The bridge was opened December 18, 1953.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=7804|title = The Dalles Bridge spanning the Columbia River is completed on December 18, 1953}}</ref>