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Summary and Frequenly Asked Questions:
Summary & FAQ
Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum
Fort Dalles Museum and Anderson Homestead
Sunshine Mill Artisan Plaza and Winery
The Dalles Dam
The Dalles Murals
Old St. Peter's Landmark
Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail
National Neon Sign Museum
Wonderworks Children's Museum of the Gorge
Granada Theater
Big Jim's Drive-In
Freebridge Brewing
Last Stop Hotel & Saloon, The Dalles, OR
15 Mile Winery
The Dalles Art Center
Cousins Restaurant & Lounge
The city's name is derived from the French word 'dalle' which refers to the columnar basalt rock or flagstones found in the area. The Columbia River flowed over the rocks causing a long series of major rapids in the area. There was a large Native American trading post on the Quenett Creek and the explorers, Lewis and Clark, camped in the area in 1805. Jason Lee, a Methodist missionary, evangelized the Wasco Indians and Fort Dalles was established in due course. Until 1846, The Oregon Trail stopped in the area, before it continued to Portland. In 1857, the settlement became a city and changed its name to The Dalles in 1860.
The Dalles is 2.5 hours from Portland, OR.
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