Last week’s History Mystery, an image of Tugboat Keith in the Celilo Canal Locks, was identified by Gary Elkinton and by Tim Corner, who worked aboard Keith in 1956.
The roughly 4-by-3 inch print, donated to Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum in 2023, is in poor condition. Museum data indicates Keith was named for Captain Arvid Leppaluoto’s son.
It launched in 1939, one of the Columbia’s most powerful tugs, Elkinton said. Keith worked The Dalles and points east in the 1940s.
In 1965 Corner joined the crew on the upper Columbia, and helped Keith return a barge downstream through Celilo Canal Locks, dock at Bargeway, turn and prepare to head back upstream. Corner left the crew that night. “It was nice trip, I really enjoyed it,” he recalled.
Two companies with the same owner, Inland Navigation and Upper Columbia River Towing, shared the tug. In the 1960s, the Keith and the tug Winqatt were transferred to Vietnam. In this photo, Celilo Falls would be on the left.
To guess this week’s History Mystery, above, email Flora Gibson at florag@gorgenews.com or call/text 541-993-1801, and we'll include your information in next week's history page.
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