05/20/2009
Chelan County Public Utility District welcomes you to one of the most exciting and innovative interpretive museums in the West, the Rocky Reach Gallery of the Columbia located on the fourth floor of the Rocky Reach Dam powerhouse. It shows the West as it really was: settlers and Native Americans, steam boaters, lumbermen, railroaders in life-size photos. Stand inches away from a historical tramway reconstructed from original parts.
Trip Highlights: - Rocky Reach Dam: Gallery of the Columbia
- Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center
- Cashmere Museum and Pioneer Village
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Through the use of dramatic lighting and unusual display techniques, you become part of this historical past. The Gallery of the Columbia may be the closest you will ever come to a trip in a time machine—back into the pioneer history of our region and beyond.
If you should wish to go back in time beyond the pioneer era, step over to a reconstructed archaeological dig and see what primitive man left behind that tells us a story about him. Another part of "his story" is told in the ancient pictograph rock paintings on display nearby.
Its fun, it's exciting, and you can make it last as long or short a time as your imagination or your own time will let you.
The Gallery of the Columbia, an exciting learning experience, is one of several visitor attractions at Rocky Reach Dam.
The Visitor Center is located at the west end of the forebay wall, on the Chelan County side of the Rocky Reach Hydro Project. The center is easily accessible from Highway 97A and offers ample parking for visitors, including recreational vehicles and buses. Those touring the facility will discover an air-conditioned seasonal gift and food service area, restrooms, and balconies that offer panoramic views of the project, the juvenile fish bypass system, the reservoir (Lake Entiat), and the Columbia River. The Visitor Center's small theater, with a seating capacity of 90, shows movies throughout the day and upon special request. Guided tours are available throughout the season and by special request.. Close to 60,000 visitors annually enjoy the hydro project's visitor facilities.
A highlight of any visit to the Rocky Reach Visitor Center is the opportunity for a closeup view of fish passing through the fishway. The fish viewing room, with five windows located on the west side of the fish ladder, allows visitors to watch salmon, steelhead, trout and other species continue their upstream migration to spawning areas. Salmon and steelhead are seasonal visitors. The best months of the year to see chinook salmon are May and August. Sockeye salmon are most visible during July, and it's September for steelhead. "Look a salmon in the eye" in the fish viewing room, located downstairs in the Visitor Center at Rocky Reach Dam.
Source: www.chelanpud.org or call (509) 663-7522
Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center
Explore North Central Washington's heritage from the Ice Age to the present day in our historic, landmark facility. Discover the rich diversity of the region's arts, sciences and people through our exhibits and programs. Enjoy rotating art shows, including works by local artists, as well as art by our area's native residents. Create your own arts and crafts at our family events or join us for history tours, lectures, films and other cultural programs throughout the year. Experience the world's first trans-Pacific flight, the germination and growth of the apple industry, early railroad routes, and much more. Visit the Museum store for unique gifts, books and keepsakes. Come often; you're sure to find something new each time. Source: www.wenatcheevalleymuseum.com or call 509-888-6240.
Cashmere Museum and Pioneer Village
The Museum embraces a wonderful collection of Pioneer and Native American history.
Basketry, beadwork, jewelry and other work showcase the artistry and craftsmanship of the local Wenatchi Indians including Celia Ann Dick and Chief John Harmelt, among others of the local region. Some of the exhibits include hunting and fishing artifacts, a sweat lodge, native food and medicine items, an exhibit about the Hudson Bay Company, and a Meso-American collection.
The Congdon Archaeological Collection contains artifacts from the middle Columbia River and the lower Snake River areas. Many of these objects date back 9,000 years. There are examples of tools, personal items, and art forms such as petroglyphs and pictographs developed over ninety centuries of human occupation in the Columbia River area.
The lower level of the museum houses a beautiful collection of local Pioneer history, including tools, mining, veterinary equipment, Boy Scout memorabilia and dioramas depicting the lifestyles of the early settlers of the area, including a trappers cabin.
Old Mission, the Pioneer Village, consists of 20 original structures brought in from the local area, mostly by explorer scouts. Included in the setting is: a one room school house, print shop, cabins, post office, doctor and dentist office and many more
You will also see the "John McDonald Railroad" which includes a1922 Great Northern Caboose, a Section House, Ticket Office, and various railroad equipment. We also have a collection of old-time equipment from apple polishers and cherry pitters to buggies, sleighs and wagons, including a 1921 Toro Model B Dump truck and a 1925 Fordson tractor!
While outside strolling through the village take a moment to enjoy the beautiful grounds, with many native and heirloom plants around the cabins lovingly tended to by our staff and volunteers.
Source: www.cashmeremuseum.org or call 509-782-3230
