Case file · Sacred site
Celilo Falls
For thousands of years Celilo Falls on the Columbia River was a great fishing and trading place for Plateau peoples; on 10 March 1957 the gates of The Dalles Dam closed and drowned it within hours.
1957 CE · 45.65, -120.97 · status: official
The account
Thousands came to watch. The First Salmon ceremony continues at Celilo Village, and the loss is still mourned by the Yakama, Warm Springs, Umatilla and Nez Perce.