It is August and we are in our last month as Camp Hosts at Yamhill State Heritage Site this year. Several of our friends have already stopped by on their way back from the annual Church Campout. Everything went very well. We had just enough parking space for their RV’s and everyone got to tour the archeological digs that are going on. A couple of friends have over-nighted on our couch, and friends with RV’s can over night at the Spirit Mountain Casino. Of course you are on your own with your new Coyote Card.
Just a few bits of information about Fort Yamhill. It was built in 1856 to keep the lid on a tense situation between settlers and natives on the newly created Grand Ronde Reservation. The federal troops ran the fort until the start of the civil war then a volunteer company from Volcano, California took over the fort until it was de-commissioned in 1866. The buildings were sold and moved or torn down for their lumber. It was lost and forgotten until recently. When it was re-discovered a few years ago, it was immediatly listed on the historical register and the State of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde worked together to develop the Fort Yamhill State Heritage Area.
Oregon State University has been helping us study the site since 2004. Fort Yamhill is one of the finest examples of Civil War era frontier forts in the country. This brings me to the point of this blog. We haven’t seen some of our Portland area friends yet and it is an easy day trip to come and visit the fort. We will make sure you get a V.I.P. tour of the archeological digs and even let you raise and lower our 31 star “period” flag with all the bugle call trimmings.
Now this weekend won’t work, and actually week day mornings are the best time to come because the crews will be digging in the foundations of the officer row houses. The next two weeks will be the best. In fact this next weekend, August 16th to 18th, will also be the Grand Ronde Pow Wow, and that is pretty cool also. Lots of authentic costumes and drum and dance competitions. See: http://www.grandronde.org/
Finally here are some photos in a photo gallery, but you have to visit our web page at https://www.dinsmore-enterprises.com/?p=2554
This weekend Judy and I are traveling back in history, (ours) and back to Spokane Washington. We will be replaying Judy’s High School Prom., that I didn’t get to attend in 1963. We will be attending the Mead High School reunion. The difference on this trip is we are driving Little Blue and tenting. Just like the first months of our retirement.