The City of The Dalles, Oregon, is located 85 miles east of Portland, and is nestled in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge against the eastern edge of the Cascade Mountain Range and is the county seat of Wasco county.

The Dalles was originally called Win-Quatt by the Native American Indians meaning a place encircled by rock cliffs. It served initially as a way station on the emigrant road to the Willamette Valley. In 1850 Fort Dalles was established to protect immigrants after the Whitman massacre, it was the only military post between the Pacific Coast and Wyoming. The only building left of Fort Dalles is the Surgeon's Quarters, which has been incorporated into the Fort Dalles Museum.

Celilo (Seh-LIE-low) falls on the Columbia River near The Dalles served as a gathering place and major trading center for many Indians. The falls had been named by the French Canadian Fur Traders (La Grand Dalle de la Columbia) (The Great Falls of the Columbia). Celilo falls had been the site of fishing and trade by the Indians for hundreds of years. Upon completion of the Dalles Dam in 1957 Celilo falls was flooded and Lake Celilo was created. Lake Celilo now stretches 24 miles upstream to the John Day Dam.

Construction of the Dalles Dam was completed in 1957. The unique design in the form of a backward L takes advantage of a natural rock formation in the river to connect separate spillway and powerhouse sections. The generating capacity is 1.8 million kilowatts and can light up a city the size of Seattle Washington.

With an elevation of 100 feet, the The Dalles climate is relatively mild and sunny. The average summer temperature is 85 degrees,with winter averaging about 40. Typically one of the warmest locations in Oregon it has an average rainfall of only 13-17 inches compared with nearby Portland’s 43 inches per year. Residents of the Dalles enjoy on average more than 300 days a year without rain.

With a population of approximately 13,000 and several thousand more in the outlying area, The Dalles is able to keep its small town charm while reaping some big city benefits.

The Dalles is a prospering community that has seen recent growth in its commercial and tourist based industry as well as a rediscovery of its rich historical heritage. Agriculture is an important part of the economic base. Primary crops are cereal grains, sweet cherries and apples. Ranching is also common. Wheat is the dominant field crop with 190,000 acres. Durable goods, wood products, and aluminum manufacturing also top employers.

The City is a strategic home base for year-round recreation. Water sport enthusiasts will find boating, excellent fishing, and one of the finest wind surfing areas in the United States. The Dalles has a reputation for being the best place to learn windsurfing. A favorite windsurfing starting point is Celilo Park, nine miles east of The Dalles. The Columbia River Gorge has excellent topography and weather patterns that create some of the best high wind sailing in the world from early spring to fall.

To the east are substantial opportunities to camp, fish, hike, and sightsee. A full scale replica of Stonehenge built by Sam Hill as the nation's first memorial to World War I soldiers, is located near the Maryhill Museum and is only minutes away.

To the west, ski enthusiasts have the opportunity to challenge the ski slopes of magnificent Mt. Hood The numerous resorts on Mt. Hood offer world class skiing and Timberline lodge offers year round snow skiing on the Palmer Glacier.

The Port of The Dalles is nearly full to capacity with a wide variety of thriving industries including Google with its new data center and campus.

Located in the The Dalles the Columbia Gorge Community College offers a large variety of educational opportunities for full and part time students. Mid Columbia Medical Center together with its state-of-the-art Celilo Cancer Center offers the residents of The Dalles superior medical care.

A few must see places in and around The Dalles include:

See the work of local artists at The Dalles Art Center located in the historic Carnegie Library. One of the 2500 libraries built by the Carnegie foundation 1910 it is a registered National Historical Landmark.

Sorosis Park is a 15 acre park located high above The Dalles on the cliffs. It's worth visiting just for the view of the river, the town and the mountains. Park facilities include picnic tables, a playground, rose gardens and tennis courts.

Maryhill Museum of Art, located across the Columbia River in Washington, about 20 miles east on Highway 14. While you are there be sure to see Stonehenge a full size replica of England’s famous landmark only minutes from the museum. Built by Sam Hill as the nations first memorial to fallen soldiers of WWI.

Vineyards are quickly becoming a popular destination in the Gorge the area is home to a more than a dozen wineries including the near by Maryhill winery with it’s 4000 seat amphitheater. Their summer concert series hosts several well know singing artists during all summer long.