The+History+of+the+Dredge

The History of the Dredge

 When the topic of dredges comes up, the question that arises most is, "What is a dredge?"

 "There are dredges which are used to maintain the depth of a river's channel so that ships can pass and/or to improve harbors. And then there is the paddock dredge, invented in New Zealand, which is floated on pontoons or a hull. Some people see that type as a monster that looks like a praying mantis, destroys the land and reflects the greed of man."  []

 How would you describe the dredge in the book __Skeleton Creek__? Go to the Discussion tab to post your ideas. 



Do you think the old dredge in Skeleton Creek actually exists? That's what I wanted to know, and this is what I found out.  If you were to travel to the Elkhorn Mountain Range you will find The Sumpter Valley Dredge.This gold dredge is a reminder of the gold mining days of Sumpter, Oregon. Some believe that this is the home of the ghost of Joe Bush. During the gold rush the Powder River waterway was the "vein of life". The landscape still bares the scars of it's violent treatment by the dredge. The Sumpter Valley Dredge is a connection to the pioneering past of Oregon. It still exists and is a popular tourist attraction today.  "A half a century after the last dripping bucket load was lifted, the dredge stands silent. If you listen carefully, you can almost hear whispers of the hope, sweat and dreams of the people who worked on it."

The Sumpter Valley Dredge is the last of three dredges that were built on the Powder River. It was constructed in 1935 and dug up more than four million dollars worth by 1954.  http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_239.php http://www.thecabinet.com/darkdestinations/location.php?sub_id=dark_destinations&letter=s&location_id=sumpter_valley_dredge