Cascade Locks

History

The city got its name from a set of locks built to improve navigation past the Cascades Rapids of the Columbia River. The U.S. federal government approved the plan for the locks in 1875, construction began in 1878, and the locks were completed on November 5, 1896. The locks were subsequently submerged in 1938, replaced by Bonneville Lock and Dam, although the city did not lose land from the expansion of Lake Bonneville behind the dam some downstream of the city.

Geography

Cascade Locks is in the northwest corner of Hood River County, on the south side of the Columbia River. It is bordered to the north (in the middle of the river) by Skamania County, Washington. The city of Stevenson, Washington, is north of Cascade Locks across the river. U.S. Route 30 passes through the center of Cascade Locks as Wa Na Pa Street, joining Interstate 84 at the east and west end of the downtown. Both exits with I-84 are labeled "44". I-84 and US 30 lead east to Hood River and west to Portland. US 30 provides access to the Bridge of the Gods, a toll bridge which crosses the Columbia River to connect with Washington State Route 14 between North Bonneville and Stevenson. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Cascade Locks has a total area of , of which are land and are water. This region experiences warm and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above . According to the Köppen climate classification system, Cascade Locks has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate which is abbreviated as "Csb" on climate maps. The city receives an average of of precipitation per year.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Cascade Locks School
  Elementary · Cascade Locks · 88 students · 12.6:1 ratio