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| Window was left unlatched so the young workers could co-mingle. |
I have a little secret for you. Please tell everyone you know. 1) I am a tongue-in-cheek ghost believer. 2) I thought I should tell you that Multnomah Falls Lodge here in Oregon may have ghosts. Really, I think there may be something going on there. I am not an expert but that place just begs for a ghost or two.
I was privileged to be invited to an Oregon Press Women workshop at the Lodge last week. The day featured a private talks by several very interesting people. But the manager of the lodge, Rick Buck caught everyone's interest. Stories about the lodge going back to it's beginning included pictures of the locations when it was just a train station for picnicers from Portland during the early 20th century. During Buck's opening remarks a lady seated next to me interrupted his talk to ask if there were ghosts in the lodge. The question brought him to a stand still. Did I detect a blush or a hesitance on his part? Maybe.
It seems those people that like the paranormal and actually create shows for TV to entertain us with spooky ghostly footage had contacted the manager a number of times wanting to film the interior at night. He is unwilling to allow that to happen. The lodge, built in 1925, stands at the base of a falls that descends a total distance of 650 ft. Numerous deaths have happened over the years as a result of treacherous slick walkways, lost hikers and heaven's know what else. The legend of how the fall began goes back to the Multnomah people and the loss of one of their young woman. It is believed that her spirit haunts the falls. The story starts...
 Image via Wikipedia |
| Image via Wikipedia Maiden jumped from the fall to her death! Do you see her sitting in the falls? |
Many years ago the head chief of the Multnomah people had a beautiful young daughter. She was especially dear to her father because he had lost all his sons in fighting, and he was now an old man. He chose her husband with great care - a young chief from his neighbors, the Clatsop people. To the wedding feast came many people from tribes along the lower Columbia and south of it.It continues to a conclusion with the death of the beautiful bride and plea for a sign:
Other people followed. On the rocks below the high cliff they found the girl they all loved. There they buried her. Then her father prayed to the Great Spirit, "Show us some token that my daughter's spirit has been welcomed into the land of the spirits." Almost at once they heard the sound of water above. All the people looked up to the cliff. A stream of water, silvery white, was coming over the edge of the rock. It broke into floating mist and then fell at their feet. The stream continued to float down in a high and beautiful waterfall. (from Lewis and Clark Trails)How could there not be a spirit lingering on the property from such a beautiful story. But if the lodge shares in Multnomah Falls history, we may never know. Rick Buck just doesn't want to find out. I, on the other hand, really would like to see if there are spirits walking up the fire escape that used to connects the men and women's dorm rooms or in the halls that pass their rooms used in the 1950's for youthful employees. After seeing the upstairs rooms one could not help but wonder.
Happy Halloween...again!
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| If I had the right camera I am sure you could have seen the ghosts! |
Links: Most haunted Places in Oregon
Now that is some huge waterfall. I might believe in ghosts. I'm not sure.
ReplyDeleteThat is a gorgeous waterfall with or without a ghost! I've been there with a friend who lives in Portland.
ReplyDeleteThis is one treasure that we Oregonians cannot believe belongs to us. It is in fact the most visited natural wonder in our state. It even beats Crater Lake National Park.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments.
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