The Scenic Winds Motel is an abandoned motel located on Highway 30 at the east end of the City of Cascade Locks, Oregon. The motel, which closed in 1997, has faded into a collection of moss-roofed cabins with a burned out sign that still greets road travelers. The rustic cabins are surrounded by large fir trees and nestled between the Cascade Mountains and the Columbia River. The decaying motel retains some its original charm and will still catch your eye as you drive by it. It has an interesting story.


Address: 10 Wanapa Street, Cascade Locks OR
Year Built: 1930
Number of Cabins: 9
Site Size: 1.55 Acres
Closed: 1997


Miller's Motor Court

Circa 1953

The motel began life as "Miller's Motor Court" after being built in 1930 by Roland and Martha Miller. Located along the original alignment of the Columbia River Highway (US 30) in Cascade Locks, the Miller's ran the roadside motel as a 'Mom and Pop' operation living on site in the house with the attached motel office. 

The single story cabins, set under a canopy of tall fir trees, were wood framed with lap siding and gable roofs. In the mid 50's, the cabins were painted white with red shutters. All had concrete and boulder foundations with 8 foot ceilings. The floor plans were simple with the one bedroom units. The larger cabins had 2 small bedrooms with a small kitchen. The cabins had wood floors with carpeting while the kitchens and bathrooms had linoleum. Each cabin was heated by electric baseboard heat. Each cabin had a small a small enclosed front porch attached to the front of it. The smaller cabins were about 275 square feet while the larger ones were approximately 400 square feet. The lower part of the original, 2-story 3 bedroom home contained the motel office. A coin-operated Coke machine sat outside the office door. A push button service bell switch was mounted on the wall under the carport. 

Above the cabins was a 10-unit trailer park. This was accessed by a road between the #8 and #9 cabins. There was a bathroom with a shower and an on-site laundry room behind the house for the tenants of the trailer park.

The motel catered to summer tourists who were attracted to the scenic beauty of the Columbia River Gorge and traveled along the highway but the cabins were also rented to long term occupants who worked at the dam, the mill or the school.  Located near the Bridge of the Gods, Cascade Locks was a crossing point for travelers crossing the Columbia River from Washington. The motor court benefited from this steady traffic and made the motel a destination. 

In 1956, the Miller's sold the motel to John and Florence Bernet.

Circa 1953

Circa 1956
Photo Courtesy of Cathy Wagner Warhol

In 1959, the Cascade Locks portion of the Columbia River Highway was bypassed with a new 4-lane water level freeway. This diverted the flow of traffic away from the town and decimated the business of many small tourists shops, stores, gas stations and motels in Cascade Locks. This signaled a change in business for both Cascade Locks and the motel.

 
Stories about the Motel

From Cathy, whose parents owned the Scenic Motel from 1956 thru 1973: 

"I think I mentioned that they rented the cabins to many of our teachers (mostly single men) as well as mill workers and dam workers  Hans (John) had a huge vegetable garden behind 3 & 4, they would often give produce in the summer to guests.  The cabins with kitchens were stocked with dishes, silverware and cooking utensils and they would provide ground coffee, sugar and creamer so people could make their own percolator coffee."

"Most  (if not all) of the cabins inside were knotty pine. None of the cabins during our time had French doors. The beds were all double beds, the larger cabins had a hide-a-bed couch and usually an easy chair as well as table and chairs for eating. Mom made all the curtains and as I mentioned, they did all the laundry.  The laundry room behind the carport had a giant industrial dryer and a mangle for the sheets.  There was a room in the middle where they stored all the linens.  Mom would go into Portland a few times a month (it seems like) very early in order to be waiting at Meier & Frank’s for the doors to open for Friday surprise.  I didn’t realize it at the time, but she was trying a get good buys on bedding and towels for the cabins.  She would get different colors of towels so each cabin would be slightly different."

In the 1980's, the sign was changed again as the trailer court was closed and free HBO was offered to the motel guests. 

The Scenic Motel name was changed in 1985 to Scenic Winds Motel. This sign exists today.







The motel closed in 1997 and has been deteriorating slowly.
Even though the motel has been closed, there has been a steady presence of people living in the house and a trailer is often seen next to the residence. No trespassing signs are posted so please respect the signs.


Cascade Locks