I wrote about Coulee dam a few years back. On a damp May afternoon, I managed to get back and explore a bit more. The visitor center is a little sterile but provides more of the history – it seems a desire for cheap power wasn’t the main driving force but more a response to the great depression, generating thousands of jobs.
Of course a project of this size had it’s casualties – The town of Keller was moved as the dam backed up water in the valley. In the visitor center the Colville Indian Reservation had a little booth with a lone occupant looking a little out of place and isolated… maybe a token effort at remorse over the impact on their community, but hopefully a learning experience for the visitors.
One thing I’d noticed before on satellite views was what appeared to be a lookout from the hills above, but no signs from the dam seem to provide any guidance to get there. Well there is a lookout – Crown Point Vista – just take the 174 out of town and turn on to Crown Point Road.
From here you get a different view of the dam and the surrounding area.
The vista was also a stop off for a Porsche club showing off their shiny cars.
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