Visionary Park
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the America's first scenic highway in 2016 the Troutdale Historical Society and the City of Troutdale commissioned this monument for Visionary Park.
The sculpture by Rip Caswell depicts highway engineer Samuel Lancaster and entrepreneur Sam Hill contemplating the task of building a scenic route through the difficult terrain of the Columbia River Gorge. The base of the statue displays Columbia Gorge views through arches similar to those along the highway. The sculpture is life-size as is the radiator of the Model T Ford, one of the most common vehicles seen on the new road.
The bend in the road created a perfect perspective for the vision of the two men depicted on the monument "Devoted Passion." The art on the base of the monument, by Libby Carruth, give you a glimpse of the scenery found along the highway. The stonework surrounding the monument is reminiscent of the guardrails and bridgework found on the highway.