Spirit of the Mists

The creation story of Snoqualmie Falls swirls amid its cascades, mists, and deep pools—and lives on in the People of the Moon.

Maya Lin’s Confluence Project traces cultures, history, and ecology across the Columbia River basin in Washington and Oregon. Here’s what it taught me about homeland, heritage, and waterways.
At Cape Disappointment near the mouth of the Columbia River, Maya Lin’s walkway and boardwalk present juxtaposing journeys of discovery.
For Michael Mason, a longtime attorney and lobbyist for Pacific Northwest tribes, home is deeply rooted in the land, history, and songs of this region.
For Gary Koehler, a big-cat expert and retired wildlife researcher from Wenatchee, home means learning to share the land with all of its enigmatic critters.
The story circles at Sacajawea Historical State Park hint at all that is, was, and could be lost—or saved—by altering a river’s path.
A trip to the Oregon Dunes unearthed the influence for Frank Herbert’s Dune—and a love of stories and nature passed down from fathers and places.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Gordon House is the architect’s only project in Oregon.
For Julie Pham, author of Their War and CEO of CuriosityBased, home is about the people, and being curious is an essential part of understanding them—and yourself.
At Tea Zen Teahouse in southeast Portland, Fengxia Liu provides a traditional Chinese tea ceremony steeped in history, culture, and connection.
Deep in the Sandy River Delta, Maya Lin’s bird blind connects past and present through the animals found all around us.
A Bavarian-style village nestled in Washington's Cascade Mountains, Leavenworth is known for its German fare, Christmas village—and outdoor adventures.
A blurring of boundaries, personal and political.