Comfort Station

Vista House, Columbia River Gorge, Corbett, Oregon

This often viewed and photographed structure sits on a rocky promontory known as Crown Point, about 725 feet above the Columbia River in Corbett, Oregon. Known as the Vista House, the building has a long history and is actually a memorial to the pioneers that traveled west and settled in Oregon. Built in 1917, its purpose was to provide a "comfort station" for travelers to rest and relax as they explored the Columbia River Gorge. The only access to the building is via the historic Columbia River Highway. 

There was road construction on the highway throughout most of 2013, but, even so, I was a little surprised that we had the memorial almost all to ourselves. Very unusual for an August morning. Saved me a lot of time setting up and taking the image without people wandering through the scene.