Early Protection Efforts

Friends of the Columbia Gorge was not the first entity to call for protecting the Columbia Gorge's beauty. The Gorge has inspired many plans to protect the lands along the Columbia River. Even the Historic Columbia River Highway, built between 1913 and 1922, was designed to make the natural wonders of the Gorge available to all people.

In 1915, Eagle Creek was designated as the first U.S. Forest Service Recreation Area in the country. The first proposal of a federal role in Gorge protection came in 1916 when a National Park was proposed in Congress.

The continuing threats to the remaining natural wonders of the Gorge led to the formation of Gorge Commissions by both Oregon and Washington in the 1950s. These groups, made up mainly of residents of Gorge counties, had only advisory authority and little funding. As a result, they proved too weak to control the pressures for land development arising from the growing population of the Portland metropolitan area in the 1970s.

Friends was founded in 1980 with a focus on permanent protection of Gorge lands. For a full history of Friends and formation of the National Scenic Area, click Friends and the National Scenic Area.