Concrete Beam near Lebanon, Oregon

On December 20, 2006, I spotted this truck carrying a large reinforced concrete beam on Oregon Highway 34 heading towards Lebanon, Oregon. 

I believe this beam was for the new Grant Street Bridge over the South Santiam River in Lebanon, which was under construction at the time.

Portland International Airport

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-400 N775AS is pictured here at a gate at the Portland International Airport in Portland, Oregon, on November 28, 2006. The airport opened in 1936, replacing the small Swan Island Municipal Airport. The airport is owned and operated by the Port of Portland.

Construction of the Portland International Airport's Terminal Building began in 1952 and was completed in 1958. It was designed by Burns, Bear, McNeil & Schneider architects with Leigh Fisher & Associates as consultants. W. Bruce Morrison consulted as a mechanical engineer and Grant Kelley & Associates consulted as electrical engineers. The general contractor was the Ross B. Hammond Company, with A.G. Rushlight & Company as the mechanical contractor and Ace Electric Company as the electrical contractor.

The first Terminal Expansion began in 1973 and was completed in 1977. Burns & McDonnell were the engineers, architects and consultants with the Zimmer-Gunsul-Frasca Partnership as architects. Contractors, Inc. was the general contractor.

The next Terminal Expansion began in 1991 and was completed in 1995. It was designed by the Zimmer-Gunsul-Frasca Partnership as architects with Baugh Construction Oregon as general contractor.

Finally, the Terminal Access Program and Terminal Expansion South began in 1995 and were completed in 2001. They were designed by the Zimmer-Gunsul-Frasca Partnership as architects. Baugh Construction Oregon was general contractor for the Terminal Access Program and Hoffman Construction Company of Oregon was general contractor for the Terminal Expansion South.

Pioneers in American Aviation History Mural at Ontario International Airport

This ceramic tile mural is titled "Pioneers in American Aviation History" by Richard Wyatt. It was installed at the Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California, in 1998. From left to right, the mural depicts Lieutenant Lee "Buddy" Archer, Ellen Ochoa, Wilbur & Orville Wright, Amelia Earhart, and Margaret Gee.

Lieutenant Lee "Buddy" Archer was one of the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II and was the only African-American pilot to earn the designation of "ace" for shooting down at least five enemy aircraft.

Ellen Ochoa was the first Latina in space, serving aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1993, and she was the first Latina director of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

Orville & Wilbur Wright achieved the first powered, controlled, heavier-than-air flight on December 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

Amelia Earhart was the first woman to make a non-stop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932.

Margaret "Maggie" Gee was one of only two Chinese-American women to serve in the Women Airforce Service Pilots during World War II.

Views near Perris and Moreno Valley, California

These views were taken from Interstate 215 between Perris and Moreno Valley, California, on November 29, 2006. This view shows Terri Peak, part of the Lake Perris State Recreation Area. At an elevation of 2,569 feet, it is the highest point in the recreation area that can be hiked to. In the foreground is a Ritchie Brothers Auctioneers yard near Perris, California.

This is another view of Terri Peak on the left, and Big Rock on the right. Though they appear about the same height, Terri Peak is much further away on the opposite side of Lake Perris. Big Rock is approximately 180 feet tall and is popular for rock climbing. In the foreground is a Ross Distribution Center near Perris, California.

This is the rear end of a retired United States Air Force Lockheed C-141B Starlifter cargo plane at the March Field Air Museum at the March Air Reserve Base between Perris and Moreno Valley. This aircraft entered service in 1964 and was retired to the museum on November 10, 1999. The Air Force retired its last Starlifters in 2006.

This is Box Springs Mountain, which separates Moreno Valley from nearby Riverside. At 3,083 feet tall it is the highest peak in the Box Springs Mountains range. The name comes from a natural spring of water around which a resident built a wooden box to contain the flow of water.

In 1966, a letter "M" was embedded on this side of the mountain as a symbol of Moreno Valley High School. The City of Moreno Valley would not be incorporated until December 3, 1984. This was not the first letter on Box Springs Mountain, however; in 1957 a letter "C" was embedded on the other side of the mountain facing Riverside, about 1,500 feet above the University of California - Riverside campus.

John Wayne Airport

The John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California, dates back to 1923. It was originally called the Orange County Airport, and it is the only airport in Orange County.

Following the death of actor John Wayne on June 11, 1979, the Orange County Board of Supervisors renamed it the John Wayne Airport on June 20, 1979. In addition to an award-winning career appearing in over 170 films between 1926 and 1977, Wayne also lived in nearby Newport Beach. 

This 9-foot bronze statue of John Wayne by sculptor Rober Summers was dedicated to Orange County on November 4, 1982. The statue was commissioned by the John Wayne Memorial Associates.

JOHN WAYNE MEMORIAL ASSOCIATES

1. Bruce & Cecilia Nott

2. The Family of Michael A. Wayne

3. The Family of Patrick Wayne

4. Melinda Wayne Muñoz Family

5. B. E. B. Geiker

6. Kae A. Ewing

7. Sy Fuhrman

8. David J. Phillips

9. Anonymous

10. Tony Altermann

11. Allan J. Carlton, Jr.

12. Rondell B. Hanson

13. Mr. & Mrs. James K. Creath

14. Anonymous

15. Olaf Wieghorst

16. Ronald R. White

17. Mr. & Mrs. Donald E. Rowson

18. Robert F. Montgomery, M. D.

19. Byron M. Tarnutzer

20. Tony & Melinda Moiso

November 4, 1982

Tugboat Joseph T.

Photo by Cliff West

My dad, Cliff West, photographed the Foss tugboat Joseph T. on the Columbia River at Rainier, Oregon, in August or September of 2006. This tugboat was built in 1975 by the Marine Power and Equipment Incorporated of Seattle, Washington, as the Georgeann for the Samson Tug and Barge Company Incorporated of Sitka, Alaska. In 1988, this tugboat was acquired by the Brix Maritime Company of Seattle, Washington, and was renamed Olympic. In 1993, the Brix Maritime Company was acquired by the Foss Maritime Company of Seattle, Washington, and this tugboat was renamed Joseph T. The Joseph T. is 73.5 feet long, with a hull 27.2 feet wide and 11.1 feet deep. Rated at 2,250 horsepower, it is powered by two Caterpillar D-399 engines with Caterpillar 7261 reduction gears driving two stainless steel, four-bladed 88-inch by 58-inch fixed pitch propellers. This was near the end of this tugboats career on the west coast, as later in 2006, the Joseph T. would be transferred to the Foss subsidiary Constellation Maritime Company of Manchester, Massachusetts, and was renamed Scorpius.

Albany Railroad Depot

 I originally posted this information on my old website on March 26, 2009, and last updated it on December 18, 2009.

Depot in Albany, Oregon on August 31, 2006

The Albany depot was completed in 1909 for the Southern Pacific Railroad.

Depot in Albany, Oregon on August 31, 2006

This depot replaced a previous depot at the same location. 

Depot in Albany, Oregon on August 31, 2006

This depot has remained in continuous operation since it was built.

Depot in Albany, Oregon on August 31, 2006

The depot is currently served by Amtrak's Coast Starlight and Cascades trains.

Depot in Albany, Oregon on August 31, 2006

An $11.5 million renovation project began in May of 2004 and the depot was dedicated in April of 2006.

Depot in Albany, Oregon on August 31, 2006

Historical Photos:
Train at old Albany depot, 1895 (Salem Public Library)
Train at old Albany depot, 1900 (Salem Public Library)
Horsecar at new Albany depot, 1908 (Salem Public Library)

Depot Sign in Albany, Oregon on August 31, 2006

Depot Sign in Albany, Oregon on August 31, 2006

Depot in Albany, Oregon on December 4, 2007

Depot in Albany, Oregon on December 4, 2007

Interior of Depot in Albany, Oregon on December 4, 2007

Interior of Depot in Albany, Oregon on December 4, 2007

Clock Tower at Depot in Albany, Oregon on December 4, 2007

The clock tower was constructed in December 2006 and January 2007 at a cost of $140,000.

Clock Tower at Depot in Albany, Oregon on December 4, 2007

The tower is 60 feet tall and the base is 6 feet square.

Clock Tower at Depot in Albany, Oregon on December 4, 2007

The 4-foot-diameter clocks were donated by the Greater Albany Rotary Club.

Clock Tower at Depot in Albany, Oregon on December 4, 2007

The "ALBANY" letters are 2 feet tall.

Clock Tower at Depot in Albany, Oregon on December 4, 2007

The tower has a steel frame with a masonry veneer, including about 2,500 ornamental, sand-colored bricks.

Clock Tower at Depot in Albany, Oregon on December 4, 2007

REA Building in Albany, Oregon on August 31, 2006

The adjacent 1,500-square-foot Railway Express Agency building on the east end of the depot was last used as offices and a dispatch center for the Union Pacific Railroad.

REA Building in Albany, Oregon on August 31, 2006

As of 2007, this building was vacant.

REA Building in Albany, Oregon on August 31, 2006

The building is to be restored and renovated to serve as the offices for the Albany Transit System.

REA Building & Depot in Albany, Oregon on August 31, 2006

REA Building in Albany, Oregon on December 4, 2007

Clock Tower & REA Building in Albany on December 4, 2007