Men at work clearing snow from the track of the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company’s railroad line along the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge during the winter storm of 1884 – 1885. This plate is part of an album of Watkin’s New Series photographs originally owned by Charles H. Prescott, manager of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co.

Men at work clearing snow from the track of the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company’s railroad line along the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge during the winter storm of 1884 – 1885. This plate is part of an album of Watkin’s New Series photographs originally owned by Charles H. Prescott, manager of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co.

Men at work clearing snow from the track of the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company’s railroad line along the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge during the winter storm of 1884 – 1885. This plate is part of an album of Watkin’s New Series photographs originally owned by Charles H. Prescott, manager of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co.

Men at work clearing snow from the track of the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company’s railroad line along the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge during the winter storm of 1884 – 1885. This plate is part of an album of Watkin’s New Series photographs originally owned by Charles H. Prescott, manager of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co.

Oregon Railway & Navigation Company relief train arriving to free the train trapped on the railroad line along the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge during the winter storm of 1884 – 1885. This plate is part of an album of Watkin’s New Series photographs originally owned by Charles H. Prescott, manager of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co.

View of snow and ice along the Columbia River with Castle Rock in the distance during the winter storm of 1884-1885. A train is visible in the lower right corner of the image and several people are working to clear snow from the tracks in the distance. This plate is part of an album of Watkin’s New Series photographs originally owned by Charles H. Prescott, manager of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co.

Men at work clearing snow from the track of the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company’s railroad line along the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge during the winter storm of 1884 – 1885. This plate is part of an album of Watkin’s New Series photographs originally owned by Charles H. Prescott, manager of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co.

View of the Columbia River Gorge during the winter storm of 1884 – 1885, from the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company’s tracks on the Oregon side of the river. A group of workers is visible manually clearing snow from the tracks in the distance. This plate is part of an album of Watkin’s New Series photographs originally owned by Charles H. Prescott, manager of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co.

Men at work clearing snow from the track of the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company’s railroad line along the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge during the winter storm of 1884 – 1885. This plate is part of an album of Watkin’s New Series photographs originally owned by Charles H. Prescott, manager of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co.

View of Bridal Veil Bluff covered in snow during the winter storm of 188401885. There is an unidentified many standing in front of a cabin in the foreground and a train in the background on the right half of the image. This plate is part of an album of Watkin’s New Series photographs originally owned by Charles H. Prescott, manager of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co.

View of a train engine emerging from between a rock formation known as the Needles. Three unidentified men stand to the side of the tracks. There is heavy snowfall on the ground from the winter storm of 1884-1885.

Ice covers a rock in the Columbia River Gorge during the winter storm of 1884-1885. This plate is part of an album of Watkin’s New Series photographs originally owned by Charles H. Prescott, manager of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co.

Photographic postcard showing 5 men standing on a dirt road, displaying a line holding dozens of fish. A dog sits on the right. Behind them, a group of people stand on a wooden walkway attached to a building. Handwritten note on the back of the postcard reads, "A record catch from Central Oregon lakes."

Platinum print of the shore of the Columbia River near Castle Rock (today known as Beacon Rock). Attributed to Sarah Hall Ladd.

Photograph of a 2-story house. A woman sits on the steps of the front porch while a second person sits in a hammock on the porch. There are trees on either side of the house and a fence in front of the house. Typed label on the back of the print reads, "A Seaside Cottage Among the Spruce Trees, Seaside, Ore." Stamp on the back reads, "From Passenger Department, The North Bank Road, Portland, Ore."

A ship anchored at the port terminals in Vancouver, Washington. The S. P. & S. Railway grain elevators are visible in the distance. "Luckenbach" is painted on the side of the ship and smoke is coming out of its central stack. The handwritten description from the back of the photograph reads, "Port terminals, Vancouver, Wa. and SP+S Railway Company grain elevators with bulk storage capacity of 2,852,000 bushels. Leased to Archer Daniels Midland Company."

Abigail Scott Duniway seated at a table signing the precinct voter registration book. County Clerk John B. Coffey stands beside her. Duniway was the first female voter to register in Multnomah County, Oregon. This photograph ran in the Oregonian on February 15, 1913 with the caption, “Pioneer Suffragist who is first woman to register as voter in Multnomah County.”

This advertising photograph depicts a group of bike messengers seated on a "Joe's Heavy Service" model bicycle, demonstrating it's robust frame. The owner of Joe's Bicycle and Repair Shop, Joseph Brown, is posed on the bike with someone seated on his shoulders. The photograph is signed "Sowell photo" on the bottom-left corner, indicating the photo may have been taken by Leo Simon, who operated Sowell Studio in 1925. Sowell Studio was a commercial photography studio located in Portland, Oregon.

Aerial photograph and survey of Bradford Island and the construction of the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. Written labels on the print indicate the locations of the fish hatchery, ship locks, power house, and more. Writing on the top right of the print reads, "Aerial view from 5,000 ft. elev. Bonneville Power and Navigation Project. Cost 32,200,000. Construction period - Nov. 1933 - Dec. 1937." Other writings on the print indicate this was taken on March 27, 1935 by Brubaker Aerial Surveys. Stamp on the back of the print requests that Brubaker be given credit for the photograph.

Aerial photograph of the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River in the Columbia River Gorge. Looking east, up the river. Stamp on the back of the print reads, "Taken by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bonneville Power Administration, Portland, Oregon. Please credit." Second stamp reads, "H.W.S. Apr 1, 1948." Third stamp reads, "Beaver Engraving Co." of Portland, Oregon.

Aerial photograph of the Long-Bell Lumber Company in Longview, Washington. Typed label on the back of the print reads, "Airplane view of the greatest lumber manufacturing plants in the world, the operations of the Long-Bell Lumber Company at Longview, Washington. The two units shown here are operating on double shifts, turning out 1,800,000 feet of lumber daily. Buildings of these units cover 78 acres with roofing. Between the two units is the power plant which has a capacity of 18,000 kilowatts. Its two stacks are each 300 feet high. On the Columbia river can be seen a portion of the 200 foot lumber export dock which was partially under construction when the picture was taken." Writing on the bottom of the print reads, "L.B.A.8."

Platinum print of light through clouds above the bank of the Columbia River. Attributed to Sarah Hall Ladd.

Photograph showing 5 agricultural workers hunched over in a field as they harvest and pack celery. The worker on the right packs celery into a box labeled, "Troutdale Celery." A vehicle to the left of the workers holds a stack of empty crates on a flatbed. Stamp on the back of the print for Arthur M. Prentiss, Commercial Photographer.

Photograph showing 50 - 60 scattered farm workers working in rows of crops in a large agricultural field. Some look at the camera while others continue with their work.

Photograph showing a strawberry field planted on a sloped hillside. The rows of strawberries wind around the hillside. Scattered agricultural workers work in the field. Stamp on the back for Arthur M. Prentiss, Commercial Photographer.

Photograph showing a farm and alfalfa fields surrounded by a desert landscape. Handwritten note on the back of the print reads, "8 - Alfalfa Fields Replace Barrenness."

Photograph of a crowded room of people who sit in rows of chairs. Some people stand in the back. A sign reading, "Alfalfa on Every Farm" is displayed in the back of the room.

Photograph of a man talking to a group of people. He is likely giving a presentation to farmers about growing alfalfa. As he talks, he points to a chart behind him titled, "Alfalfa in United States," which shows the amount of acreage dedicated to growing alfalfa in various states. There are several children in the front row.