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Home / Washington Business - September/October 2006 / Travel Washington: White Salmon and Bingen |
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Travel Washington: White Salmon and Bingen |
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Written On: September/October 2006 |
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Written By: by Daniel Brunell |
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The two minutes it takes to drive through Bingen on State Route 14 doesn’t do the town justice. As you pass through you’ll see the large lumber mill, a log yard and a fruit-packing plant along the river. You’ll see a tidy main street with all of its store fronts occupied. You might notice the homes dotting the ridge above Bingen, indicating the location of White Salmon. By all appearances, you’d think this is just a sleepy milling community along the Columbia River. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
White Salmon, Bingen and the surrounding area are in the mist of a transformation. For more than 100 years the community was a meat-and-potatoes, blue-collar area that lived and died by lumber and fruit prices. These industries are joined today by outdoor recreation, wineries and high technology to create a burgeoning, diverse and robust local economy.
Just after World War II there were more than 50 mills harvesting the rich timberlands along the Columbia River Gorge and the White Salmon River all the way up to Mount Adams. Today, the only remaining mill is SDS Lumber Company of Bingen. Founded in 1946 by Frank Daubenspeck and brothers Wally and Bruce Stevenson, SDS is now the largest employer in the area with 325 employees and more than 70,000 acres of timberland.
Even with the closure of the nearby Goldendale aluminum mill, jobs in the area are plentiful for skilled workers. "Our workforce is aging rapidly," said Jason Spadaro, president of SDS Lumber. "It is hard to find highly skilled and trained workers to work in the mill."
Finding skilled workers is also a problem for for newer companies in the area, like The Insitu Group. Founded in 1992, Insitu develops and manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles, small remote-controlled airplanes used by the military as reconnaissance platforms in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The company’s growth has been astounding. In 2002, Insitu had three employees. By June 2006, the workforce had grown to more than 100. The nature of the work requires a high-quality workforce. "Even though we hire extensively from the local area, we have to actively recruit around the nation for top talent," said Steve Silwa, Insitu’s president and CEO. "What helps is that, since this is such a spectacular area with so much to do, we have little problem selling the community to future employees."
The quality of life here is what attracts many people. Situated at the mouth of the Columbia River Gorge, the area is less than two hours away from Mount Hood ski areas. Boundless outdoor recreation opportunities are less than 30 minutes away in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in the shadow of Mount Adams.
One of the largest draws to the area is windsurfing. Many people enjoy the sport so much that they buy a second home in the area. Some even started companies in order to work and live close to a place where they could indulge their recreational passions.
Whitewater rafting is another of the area’s major attractions. Two of Washington’s best rivers for rafting and kayaking are in the Bingen and White Salmon area. Five local tour companies offer guided expeditions through the summer season. One is Wet Planet Whitewater, which has seen its business boom since opening in 2001. "It helps that we are only one hour away from Portland and an international airport," said Jaco Klinkenberg, co-founder of Wet Planet. "Also, the area provides a wide variety of rivers so that anybody with any experience level can enjoy."
After a rough ride on the river, some might enjoy a relaxing glass of wine at one of the area’s many wineries. "We like to say that in the gorge you’ll experience 'a world of wines in 40 miles,'" said Joel Goodwillie of Wind River Cellars. "Each winery has it’s own distinctive taste and style."
The wineries in the Columbia Gorge are unique because the area can produce 26 different varieties of wines. Because of this and quality of the wines, the area’s 15 wineries are gaining a growing following among wine enthusiasts from around the world.
Wine, rafting, windsurfing and a relaxed town along the river — it seems too good to be true. It’s starting to become that way. The housing market in the area is booming, with housing prices appreciating at a 20 to 30 percent per year. This has put a strain on companies like SDS and Insitu as they seek affordable housing for their employees. The town is struggling to manage its future economic development and maintain the quality of life that makes the area so attractive.
"The one thing that will tie this area together is a resort hotel like the one in Skamania," said Carl McNew, real estate broker and president of the Mount Adams Chamber of Commerce. "It would really tie the town together in terms of tourism, economic development and as a springboard for the area."
There are a couple of potential sites along the river, but no one has yet taken the plunge to develop a resort. Judging by the White Salmon and Bingen potential, this won’t be long in coming.
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