1898, Oregon: City slickers from the Willamette Valley!
Now here’s a twist!
Y’see, the Willamette Valley had been the original cradle of Chinuk Wawa culture in Oregon.
Willamette Valley tourism (image credit: Expedia)
By 1898, it was the most urbanized part of the state, and knowledge of the Jargon was in steep decline there…
A party of tourists from the Willam-
otte valley are in the city today and
are purchasing arrow heads and bas-
kets from the Indians. Not being able
to speak “Chinook” or understand
the many gestures made by the
Indians having the articles for sale,
they are having quite a time making
their purchases.
— from the Dalles (OR) Times-Mountaineer of September 3, 1898, page 4, column 1
