About the Mural

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This mural takes a look back to a pre-Columbian era when the Columbia River poured over basalt cliffs making Celilo Falls (or Wy-am) the biggest fishery on the west coast of North America. The Wy-am region was the oldest continuously inhabited community in North America, and was a great trading center. In the spring ten times more water flowed over Wy-am than over Niagara Falls. In 1957 the Dalles Dam was finished and the spectacular falls were submerged. Native peoples continue to fish here today.