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41-563: Sheep Rock is an overlook of Hells Canyon in the Payette National Forest about 45 miles northwest of Council, Idaho . It was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1976. The formation consists of two contrasting series of layers from the Columbia River Basalt Group . The layers are separated by an unconformity and provide an unobstructed view of this type of geologic phenomenon. Sheep Rock

82-478: A deathbed confession to his father Hugh recounting details of the massacre, which were published in 1891. According to Hugh McMillan, the Chinese miners were ambushed by a party consisting of Robert McMillan, Bruce Evans, J. T. Canfield, Max Larue, and Frank Vaughn in late April 1887. Hiram Maynard and Carl Hughes were traveling with the others, but did not participate in the ambush. Canfield and Larue first attacked

123-544: A federal official who investigated the crime, later wrote "every one was shot, cut up and stripped and thrown in the River." Lee She's group went to visit Chea Po's group at Robinson Gulch in early June 1887, and found three bodies in the deserted, ransacked camp; they fled in terror to Lewiston, where they reported the crimes. A news article published in July 1887 called the corpses a "severe warning to Chinese miners" and blamed

164-558: A granite monument measuring 4 by 5 feet (1.2 by 1.5 m) in May 2012. It was engraved with words in three languages: English , Nez Perce , and Chinese . It was dedicated on June 22, 2012. Chinese Massacre Cove. Site of the 1887 massacre of as many as 34 Chinese gold miners. No one was held accountable. Celmen Waptamaawnin' Toqooxpa 1887 wiwapciyaawnin' Mita' aptit wax piilept celmenm maqsmaqs kicuy pi'lyaw'aat Weet'u 'isii wepsisukin' 華工浴血灘 一八八七年 三十多名金礦華工 在此慘遭殺戳 至今無人入罪 Two episodes of

205-556: A license to the Idaho Power Company to build a three-dam complex in the canyon: The three dams have a combined generating capacity of 1,167 megawatts (MW) of electricity. The complex, which provides about 70 percent of Idaho's hydroelectricity , blocks migration of salmon and other anadromous fish upstream of Hells Canyon Dam. Two additional dams, Mountain Sheep and Pleasant Valley, were proposed in 1955 above

246-558: A reporter for The Oregonian , he began his own research into the massacre, going on to publish a journal article in 2006 and a nonfiction book, Massacred for Gold. The Chinese in Hells Canyon in 2009 after his retirement in 2003 allowed him to conduct research full-time. The United States Board on Geographic Names officially named the five-acre Deep Creek massacre site to the Chinese Massacre Cove in 2005 over

287-401: Is known about these identified men. Frank Vaughn confessed to the crime in 1888 and his testimony led to the indictment of the other six gang members on March 23, 1888. In follow-up testimony given on April 16, Vaughn blamed Evans, Canfield, and LaRue for the massacre, and said that he, Hughes, Maynard, and McMillan had not participated. Vaughn himself was arrested on April 18. By the time he

328-552: Is named for the bighorn sheep that used to inhabit the area. To the north is part of Red Ledge Mine in Deep Creek. The National Forest maintains a mile-long interpretive trail that leads to the canyon overlook halfway around the loop. Also at the trailhead is a campground with vault toilet. Nearby is Kinney Point, an old lookout site over the canyon. It is just off the road to Sheep Rock about 1.5 miles south. The NFS has an interpretive site here. Hells Canyon The canyon

369-622: Is too rough for most cars, reaches the river at Dug Bar, 21 miles (34 km) from Imnaha, Oregon . On the canyon rims, viewpoints accessible by road include Hat Point and Buckhorn in Oregon and Heavens Gate in Idaho. Download coordinates as: Hells Canyon Massacre The Hells Canyon massacre (also known as the Snake River massacre ) was a massacre where thirty-four Chinese goldminers were ambushed and murdered in May 1887. In 2005,

410-733: The Nez Percé tribe . Others tribes visiting the area were the Shoshone-Bannock , northern Paiute and Cayuse Indians. The mild winters and ample plant and wildlife attracted human habitation. Pictographs and petroglyphs on the walls of the canyon are a record of the Indian settlements. In 1806, three members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition entered the Hells Canyon region along the Salmon River . They turned back without seeing

451-543: The Sam Yup Company , reportedly for their gold. Estimates of the value of gold stolen range from $ 4,000 to $ 50,000. According to a contemporaneous news article, the gold dust was given to Canfield for safekeeping, but he double-crossed the rest of the gang and fled the county. The brutality of the Snake River atrocity was probably unexcelled, whether by whites or Indians, in all the anti-Chinese violence of

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492-521: The topography into a high plateau . The Snake River began carving Hells Canyon out of the plateau about 6 million years ago. Significant canyon-shaping events occurred as recently as 15,000 years ago during a massive outburst flood from Glacial Lake Bonneville in Utah. The canyon contains dense forests, scenic overlooks and mountain peaks. At the bottom of the canyon, the area is a dry, desert environment. The earliest known residents in Hells Canyon were

533-416: The 1860s, gold was discovered in river bars near present-day Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, and miners soon penetrated Hells Canyon; however, gold mining there was not profitable. Evidence of their endeavors remains visible along the corridor of the Snake River. Later efforts concentrated on hard-rock mining, requiring complex facilities. Evidence of these developments is visible today, especially near

574-418: The 21 bodies into the Snake River. The gang then stole the boat and traveled 4 miles (6.4 km) to the next Chinese camp, where they killed 13 more and retrieved $ 50,000 in gold. Hugh McMillan stated that Robert was present only for the first day's events, but the gang had discussed the next day's plans before Robert left the others. According to a modern account, Vaughn stayed behind to prepare dinner while

615-472: The American West. After the first day's onslaught at Robinson Gulch, the killers wrecked and burned the camp and then threw the mutilated corpses into the Snake River. The bodies of the other Chinese received similar treatment. Since it was the high-water stage of the spring runoff, the dead Chinese were found for months (some accounts say for years) afterwards along the lower river. Robert McMillan made

656-402: The Chinese miners from the area as well, which they successfully accomplished. In contrast to most accounts, Findley recalled only 31 confirmed victims, and there was no mention of a trial. On the other hand, Horner believed that the event was a spur-of-the-moment event and affected 34 confirmed victims. The schoolboys initially only planned to steal horses, but they experienced difficulty crossing

697-558: The Idaho side of the river 22 miles (35 km) downstream to the Hells Canyon Dam. The road crosses the dam and continues another mile to the Hells Canyon Visitor Center on the Oregon side. Farther north on the Idaho side, Deer Creek Road connects White Bird, Idaho , to the river at Pittsburg Landing . Near the northern end of the canyon, Forest Road 4260 (Lower Imnaha Road), the last part of which

738-409: The accused, notes from the trial, and historical accounts of Wallowa County by J. Harland Horner and H. Ross Findley. Horner and Findley were both schoolboys at the time of the massacre but their accounts had glaring discrepancies. Findley believed the massacre was a planned event with more than just a motive to steal gold from the Chinese miners. He believed the arrested culprits wanted to eliminate

779-562: The area was renamed Chinese Massacre Cove , and a memorial was placed there in 2012 in three languages, Chinese , English , and Nez Perce . Two groups of Chinese miners, led by Chea Po and Lee She, departed Lewiston in October 1886 and headed upriver along the Snake into Oregon's Hells Canyon to search for gold. Chea's group stopped on the Oregon side of the Snake, near Robinson Gulch and

820-551: The bodies were mangled in the course of human manslaughter or was the aftermath of being thrown into turbulent waters. The rapids and brute force of the current could have mangled the bodies against the rocks. However, it was confirmed that the Chinese men were shot because gunshot wounds were found on their bodies. Only ten bodies were identified on February 16, 1888: Chea-po, Chea-Sun, Chea-Yow, Chea-Shun, Chea Cheong, Chea Ling, Chea Chow, Chea Lin Chung, Kong Mun Kow, and Kong Ngan. Little

861-405: The camp of thirteen Chinese from the bluffs overlooking the cove, driving them towards Evans and Vaughn, who were in the path of their retreat. Twelve Chinese were killed in the initial fusillade; then the remaining man had "his brains beaten out". The assailants stole gold dust worth $ 5,500. The next day, eight more Chinese returned to the camp by boat, where the gang shot and killed them, throwing

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902-435: The cove where Deep Creek empties into the Snake. Lee's group continued upriver to Salt Creek. Chea Po had chosen a location just upstream of Dug Bar, a ford used by horse and cattle thieves to cross the Snake. Dug Bar was named for Thomas J. Douglas, a thief who had used the area to graze his horses. Douglas was killed in 1883, and a gang led by Bruce Evans, known locally as "Old Blue", began using Douglas's abandoned cabin in

943-647: The deep parts of the canyon. It was not until 1811 that the Wilson Price Hunt expedition explored Hells Canyon while seeking a shortcut to the Columbia River . Hunger and cold forced them to turn back, as also did many explorers who were defeated by the canyon's inaccessibility. There remains no evidence in the canyon of their attempts; their expedition journals are the only documentation. Early explorers sometimes called this area Box Canyon or Snake River Canyon. The early miners were next to follow. In

984-742: The mighty Snake River , which is the main factor in the creation of Hells Canyon. The Snake River is home to numerous fish species, an abundance of class I-IV rapids (some of the largest in the Pacific Northwest ), diverse wildlife and miles of systems. There is one boat ramp that is located at the upper end of the Snake River. The wildlife is made up of over 350 species and this includes big game, small game, bird, and waterfowl hunting. Trophy hunting in this area consists of elk, mountain goats, mountain lions, mule deer, whitetail deer, and black bears. These key components make Hells Canyon an outdoor recreation mecca that brings in tourists from around

1025-554: The modern account agrees with McMillan's deathbed confession: the gang returned to the Douglas cabin and restocked their ammunition; then on next day, Evans, Canfield, and LaRue ambushed a group of eight Chinese miners who returned to the cove, and finally sailed to a second camp, where they killed thirteen more miners. Recently, attempts to formulate an accurate picture of the event were drawn from hidden copies of trial documents that contained grand jury indictment, depositions given by

1066-625: The mouth of the Imnaha River . In the 1880s there was a short-lived homesteading boom, but the weather was unsuited to farming and ranching, and most settlers soon gave up. However, some ranchers still operate within the boundaries of the National Recreation Area. In May 1887, 34 Chinese gold miners were ambushed and killed in the area, in an event known as the Hells Canyon Massacre . No one

1107-589: The mouth of the Salmon River and below the Hells Canyon Dam. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 held up progress, but with the energy crisis, they were revived in 1975; these projects were sponsored by consortiums Pacific Northwest Power Company and Washington Public Power Supply System (WPPSS). At the end of that year, President Gerald Ford signed legislation to create the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area and

1148-574: The objections of Wallowa County commissioners. This was the first ever official recognition of the crime. Deep Creek , a fictionalized account of the massacre and its aftermath written by William Howarth and Anne Matthews under the pen name "Dana Hand" was published in 2010. It was selected by The Washington Post as one of the best novels of 2010. In 2012, Nokes organized the Chinese Massacre Memorial Committee (with private funds and donations) to install

1189-447: The other six rode to ambush the miners. McMillan minded the horses; Canfield and LaRue shot from the rim of Robinson Gulch, while Evans shot from the river level; Hughes and Maynard were positioned upstream and downstream to catch any miner who tried to flee along the river. Their surprise attack was successful, and all ten of the miners at the camp were killed, the last with a rock after the gang had run out of ammunition. The remainder of

1230-558: The projects were terminated. The first river runners were on the canyon rapids by 1928. In 1975, Congress had declared 652,000 acres (264,000 ha) to be the recreational area for the Hells Canyon National Forest. There are many recreational activities available within the canyon. Activities in Hells Canyon include fishing, jet boat tours, hunting, hiking, camping, and whitewater sports (mainly rafting and kayaking ). Much of these activities rely on

1271-652: The river with the stolen horses. When the Chinese miners refused to loan their boats, the boys decided to take the boats by force. The bodies of some murder victims began washing ashore soon afterward, swept downstream to places as far away as Lime Point (south of the mouth of the Grande Ronde River ), Log Cabin Island (now the site of the Lower Granite Dam ), and Penawawa, Washington. Each body bore unmistakable markings of great violence; J.K. Vincent,

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1312-444: The spring of 1887, approximately 1 ⁄ 2 mile (0.80 km) downstream from Chea Po's camp. The gang consisted of Evans, J.T. ("Tigh") Canfield, C.O. (Homer) LaRue, Frank Vaughn, Carl (or Hezekiah) Hughes, Hiram Maynard and Robert McMillan, a fifteen-year-old boy. In late May 1887, May 25 according to Stratton, the gang of seven white horse gang members robbed, murdered, and mutilated between 10 and 34 Chinese employees of

1353-493: The television show Ghost Mine , first aired in October 2013, covered the investigation of paranormal activity at Chinese Massacre Cove. Peter Ludwin wrote and published a collection of poetry in 2016, Gone to Gold Mountain . He states he was inspired after reading Massacred for Gold , the 2009 book by R. Gregory Nokes. In 2016, the Oregon Historical Society and Oregon Public Broadcasting produced

1394-403: The victims had been "shot in the back and mutilated by cleavers, a weapon in general use by the Chinese." George S. Craig owned the Douglas cabin and discovered numerous skeletons in the area when he returned to winter his stock in the fall of 1887. Disagreements can be attributed to the fact that the bodies of the Chinese miners were found downstream after only two weeks. It is unclear whether

1435-512: The victims: "More than likely it was the whites who look with an evil eye upon Chinese intrusion in American mines. The American miner kicks hard at the Chinese miner." Other local Chinese Americans believed that all Chinese miners along the Snake had been killed once the mutilated bodies began to surface. Initially, "a thorough investigation" described in a July 17, 1887 article concluded the Chinese had been murdered by rival Chinese miners, since

1476-582: The waters of the Pacific Ocean. Over millions of years, the volcanoes subsided and limestone built up on the underwater platforms. The basins between them were filled with sedimentary rock . Between 130 and 17 million years ago, the ocean plate carrying the volcanoes collided with and became part of the North American continent . A period of volcanic activity followed, and much of the area was covered with floods of basalt lava , which smoothed

1517-536: The world. Hells canyon offers tours year round, while most of the whitewater activities peak in summer months. To participate in these recreational activities one can utilize commercial charters or private trips. There are three roads that lead to the Snake River and they are located between Hells Canyon Dam and the Oregon-Washington state line. There are no roads that cross Hells Canyon. From Oxbow Bridge near Copperfield, Oregon , Hells Canyon Road follows

1558-569: Was arrested, almost the entire gang had left America, save Vaughn and Hughes. I guess if they had killed 31 white men something would have been done about it, but none of the jury knew the Chinamen or cared much about it, so they turned the men loose. —George S. Craig, undated newspaper interview Three of the gang (Maynard, McMillan, and Hughes) were brought to trial but none were convicted. The trio were arraigned on August 28, 1888, and pleaded not guilty on August 29. Their testimony

1599-467: Was carved by the waters of the Snake River , which flows more than one mile (1.6 km) below the canyon's west rim on the Oregon side and 7,400 feet (2,300 m) below the peaks of Idaho's Seven Devils Mountains to the east. This area includes 214,000 acres (87,000 ha) of wilderness. Most of the area is inaccessible by road. The geologic history of the rocks of Hells Canyon began 300 million years ago with an arc of volcanoes that emerged from

1640-486: Was consistent with Vaughn's, namely, that blame for the crime fell squarely on Evans, Canfield, and LaRue, all absent. The jury found the three men not guilty on September 1, 1888, following a short trial. In 1995, Charlotte McIver discovered a cache of documents relating to the 1888 trial in an old safe being donated to the Wallowa County Museum. When the news came to the attention of R. Gregory Nokes,

1681-492: Was held accountable. Groups of white men ambushed the Chinese gold miners because of an Anti-Chinese movement that made its way to Oregon. After completion of large hydropower dams on the Columbia River in the 1930s through the 1950s, several entities sought approval from the Federal Power Commission to build dams on the Snake River, including a high dam in Hells Canyon. In 1955, the commission issued

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