This week’s History Mystery is a little different. Last week, we published an image of the flood of 1948. That image came courtesy of Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, where it is item number 2022.03.006 in the collections.

Gary Elkinton recognized that photo’s location as Old Highway 30, between The Dalles and Celilo Falls, looking east. Dennis Morgan noted the photographer might be near Celilo Village, looking at Celilo Falls — which were underwater at the time. Elkinton also shared a similar image, taken by his grandmother Zoe Williams in 1948, perhaps at the same location. Born in The Dalles, Williams lived in Pine Grove, The Dalles and Hood River her whole life and Elkinton’s grandfather worked the Columbia River on tug boats from 1937 to 1958. Elkinton digitized albums of Williams’ photographs and sent us seven photos, all from the Flood of 1948, which confirm that Celilo Falls disappeared under the smooth surface of an overflowing river.