End Of The Trail: A Day In Oregon City

By Katie and Houston Vandergriff
Downs & Towns

As Houston and I headed into Oregon City, we stopped at the overlooks for the Willamette Falls on both sides of the river. The falls don’t appear to be very tall by height, but they go almost all the way across the river. They are the second-largest falls, after Niagara Falls, by volume in the United States.

Our first stop in Oregon City was to visit the Dr. John McLoughlin House, a critical piece of early Oregon history. The house was built near the river in the mid-1800s and subsequently relocated to the top of the hill in 1909. Inside the house, two volunteers, a brother and sister, gave us a grand tour. They explained their dad was a local historian and had helped track down some of the area’s history through old letters. The woman said her daughter also volunteers and occasionally brings her granddaughter (age two) to help. So, that is four generations involved in preserving and sharing the house's history. In the process, their family is leaving their own legacy.  

At the Barclay House next door, we got to meet “John McLoughlin,” played by Doug Neely, the former town mayor who convincingly plays Dr. McLoughlin and gives his history as a “first-hand” account. The presentation went a little long for Houston but I enjoyed it and learned all about Oregon in the early days. 

Houston at the Willamette Falls viewpoint in Oregon City.

We drove a few blocks to the Oregon City Municipal Elevator, one of the only outdoor elevators of its kind in the world. We parked on the street and easily found the entrance. Once we were in the elevator, there is only one direction – up. And there’s only one stop – high above the city. It lifted us from the lower city to the upper bluff in just seconds.

When the doors opened at the top, the view spread out below us. Houston lifted his camera and started snapping. He caught the curves of the river, the rooftops scattered like puzzle pieces, and the soft light spilling across the valley. We walked along the McLoughlin Promenade above the bluff, where flowers spilled from garden beds. Houston stopped every few steps, clicking away.

Houston with John at the End of the Oregon Trail Visitor & Interpretive Information Center.

We headed back down to our car and drove through town to our next stop: the End of the Oregon Trail Visitor & Interpretive Information Center. The museum happens to actually be located, surprise, at the end of the Oregon Trail! We were lucky enough to have a personal tour with John, a historian from California. As John guided us through the museum, he shared stories of pioneer life along the Oregon Trail. We learned about the hardships and hopes of the families who walked, rolled and pushed their way to this final stop.

Houston took photos of wagons, tools, clothing and displays that painted a vivid picture of life on the trail. John showed Houston how they teach today’s school children about how children in the 1800s might have slept, worked and played. They have a model covered wagon and shelves of “supplies.” Students get to determine what they would take on a trip across the country. They have a list of items and a weight limit. There are bags of grains, beans, coffee, tea and even “lettuce.” You get to determine what you would like to pack for the long trip.

In the hands-on area, Houston and I made hand-dipped wax candles. We each started with a bare wick tied on a stick. We alternated between dipping the wick in hot wax and then in cold water – back and forth – as the wax hardened layer by layer into a candle. I have no idea what Houston was doing, but his basically stayed a skinny wick. So we finally traded, and together we ended up with two skinny-dipped candles.

After our history-filled day, we hit up the Social Hour at The Hive Social. It was part coffee shop and part restaurant. I had the smoked brisket nachos and Houston had a hamburger. We both got handcrafted vanilla bean sodas made with cream and topped with whipped cream. It was light, and bubbly, and sweet like a drink and dessert all in one. Yummy! It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

Maybe it was the history. Maybe it was the people. Maybe it was the way Houston lifted his camera again and again, capturing moments that the rest of us might have missed. Whatever the reason, our time in Oregon City created unforgettable memories. Houston captured the entire day, from the big views at the top of the elevator to the tiny details in the museum. And in doing so, he reminded us of something important: Sometimes the most meaningful adventures aren’t the biggest ones. They’re the ones that slow you down. The ones where history and the present meet just long enough for you to feel lucky to be standing right there.

Oregon City was exactly that.

As the light softened toward evening, we headed out of town to our next adventure.