The Wonder of Snoqualmie Falls and the Railroad

Snoqualmie Falls has always drawn people to the brink of the precipice that surrounds them.  The water flow is huge this year after a long, cold and very wet winter.  The welcomed sun has drawn a crowd, including us on a family road trip.

From the overlook that stands seemingly level with the top of the falls, it is a sheer drop to the river below.  I am in awe of the power of the water every time I stand there-so clear you can see the very bottom of the riverbed.

I wonder what is going through the mind of our four-year-old great granddaughter as she gazes downward?  How many others her age have done the same and seared the experience into their memory forever?  I like to imagine the Native American children who stood here in this same place and listened as their parents told them the Snoqualmie Creation Story.  Here, for them, the earth was made when a fish weir was changed into the falls, and mythical creatures were transformed into their present forms of people, plants, and animals.

There are many moments of wonder along our path for a child.  The retired part from the electric plant's generator that utilizes the power of the water to generate its own electric power stands as tall as she.

We lingered here until our amazement was satisfied, then explored the gift shop of Salish Lodge for its consistent selection of wondrous items that are impossible to resist from candy and books to dishes and decor.  A passing waiter with a tray of cupcakes destined for a probable wedding reception at the Lodge reminded us it was time to eat and we left for the nearby town of Snoqualmie to sample what the Copperstone Italian Restaurant could offer.  We were happily rewarded.

The Snoqualmie Railroad Museum provided the next temptation with its 1890 depot and collection of trains.  There were train cars to explore and a depot filled with historic memorabilia to delight the child in all of us.

It was a good, and sunny day, and for that we were grateful.  Life, especially that seen through the eyes of a child, is delightful.