Priest Rapids

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Priest Rapids was a narrow, fast-flowing stretch of the Columbia River, where the river quickly dropped 20 feet. Today it is located in central Washington state. It was given the name Priest Rapids by Alexander Ross of the Pacific Fur Company in 1811. Ross wrote of his visit to the "strong and rocky rapid" where he met a man "called Haquilaugh, which signifies ... priest." Haquilaugh was an influential Wanapum leader, for whom Ross gave the rapids its English name.

At Priest Rapids the Columbia River narrowed and flowed quickly, making it an ideal salmon fishing site. There were several rapids and fishing sites, and a dozen or so Wanapum villages along the west bank of the Columbia River at Priest Rapids.

Priest Rapids Dam, built in the 1950s, submerged Priest Rapids, taking advantage of the river's drop for hydroelectric power production. Thus today there are no rapids at Priest Rapids.

[edit] See also

• Celilo Falls
• Kettle Falls

[edit] References

• Kirk, Ruth and Carmela Alexander (1995) Exploring Washington's Past: A Road Guide to History, Revised Edition, University of Washington Press, Seattle (1990, revised edition 1995). ISBN 0-295-97443-5