| For Oregonians living along the Columbia River, the greatest symbols of economic and social advancement, as well as man's manipulation of nature, are the four large federal dams---Bonneville, McNary, The Dalles, and John Day---constructed between 1933 and 1968. Not only did the dams fulfill their objective of providing navigation, irrigation, hydro-electric power and flood control---they also transformed the environmental, economical, philosophical, and political nature of the Pacific Northwest.; This study examines local press promotion leading to federal approval of funding for the four dams. Specifically, it examines how the idea of progress was communicated in the local newspapers to gain support for the project, and it provides examples of the newspaper executive as a booster and builder of communities. In promoting dam construction, the newspapers communicated an abstract concept, progress, in a way that readers could comprehend, and in a sense, helped build the concrete structures that control the flow of the river.; This study also provides a glimpse into a seldom-visited chapter in journalism history---the writings and opinions of the "country" editor. Their main goal, ultimately, was to "sell the dream" of a future enriched by waterway development. As the projects were being approved and constructed, the support provided by newspapers such as the Oregon Journal and East Oregonian painted a portrait of progress for the region that would not be possible without large dams on the Columbia.; Ultimately, the promotion of progress created unrealistic expectations that were nearly impossible to achieve. No doubt many in the region received the full benefits of cheap hydro-electric power and expanded river navigation. Some argue that these benefits were enjoyed nationwide, enabling the production of aluminum for war planes and ships, and the development of fuel for nuclear weaponry. Yet, the dreams of towns, such as The Dalles, becoming major ports, and achieving the status of a "second city" to Portland never quite came true. And as this study demonstrates, there was also a "darker side" to boosterism: ignoring or downplaying the impact of dams on wildlife and the environment, Native American tribes, and the commercial fishing industry. |
