Remember Troutdale? More importantly, remember Mayor Jim Kight’s emphasis on the hidden wonders of his fair town? Well, he wasn’t kidding.
Enter mid-19th century wagon wheel discovered 12 feet below the Sandy River’s riverbed, now in glorious possession of the Troutdale Historical Society. This week, the Oregon Department of Transportation workers who excavated the wheel while working on the I-84 bridge, handed it over to the eager citizens.
The press release (yes, of course there was a press release) described the find best: “The wheel features a metal outer rim covering a wooden main rim that receives wooden spokes emanating from the rusty hub.” Nailed it.
- Oregon Department of Transportation
- Honestly, it looks like a pretty A+ find.
I-85, huh? Does that go to New Idaho?
It’s not often that a spokesperson gets to write about actual spokes.
Todd for COTW!
“I-85”
Seriously, that’s pathetic. This post is, what, 100 words? Just read through it ONCE before you publish.
Christ, now I just feel like you’re fucking with me. You surely know that no part of I-5 goes anywhere near Troutdale, just as you surely must know there is no I-85 in Oregon.
Read the goddamn press release. They were working on the I-84 bridge. You can also call it the Banfield Highway.
Blarg! Fixed.
Thank you. My heart rate has accordingly gone back down to its usual 600 beats per minute.
Did the pioneers who lost the wheel caulk the wagon and float it across or attempt to ford the river? Did they trade spare axles or wagon tongues to replace the wheel or just die of cholera and broken legs?
@geyser – They all died of dysentery.
Cool. Lets see if it’ll let us write bad words on the gravestone.
Just so everyone knows, the wagon that wheel came from was carrying me and five early-1990s supermodels.
All of a sudden I’m hankering for a hunk of cheese.