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Harlow House and Barn, 726 E Historic Columbia River Highway, 503-661-2164, troutdalehistory.org/harlow-house.html. Harlow House: Free. Barn: 12 and up $5, Multnomah County residents free. Depot Museum, 473 E Historic Columbia River Highway, 503-661-2164. 9 am–3 pm Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 am–5 pm all other days. Free.
The next time you’re heading to Sugarpine Drive-In, consider stopping at this museum threesome. The Fred E. Harlow House is a preserved turn-of-the-20th-century farmhouse. Fred was a son of Captain John Harlow, the founder of Troutdale. Next door is the Barn and its comprehensive exhibit King of Roads, created for the 100th birthday of the Historic Columbia River Highway in 2016. The construction of the first scenic highway in the U.S. demanded engineering innovation and a lively cast of characters. The Depot Museum honors an amazing episode in Oregon history. In 1882, the railroad was slated to come through this area. Captain Harlow tried to persuade the railroad barons to put in a depot at Troutdale. They refused. So he took an unusual, some might say dastardly, approach to make it happen.
Don’t miss: History buffs will be fascinated by Captain Harlow’s trickery to get the railroad depot in Troutdale. And if you have any interest in how things work, don’t skip the video about building the Columbia River Highway in the Barn.
Will kids like it? Retro-loving kids who dig the Little House series may be interested in the Harlow House and the artifacts of the family who lived there. But young people who like to touch things will prefer the railroad depot. There’s plenty of room for them to play outside.