Colby Lamb’s unique water wheel is a must-see roadside attraction just four miles east of Gates.
“It is easily seen from Highway 22 at Niagara,” said Lamb, owner with his wife, Diana, of the property the wheel sits on. “It is on private property, but I have provided a parking area. People are welcome to walk around, but keep a distance from the wheel.”
The Niagara Heights Water Wheel was built and installed in 1984 by Mike Adams Construction of Stayton for then-owner Hank Hiebert. The water wheel replaced an earlier larger wooden wheel that failed.
The wheel was made in two halves and welded together on site. Made entirely of steel, it weighs approximately 8,000 pounds. It is an “overshot wheel,” meaning that water is delivered to the top of the wheel via a pipe, which is also part of the support structure. The water is gravity fed from a source which is higher than the top of the wheel. The wheel is only capable of producing 60 watts of electrical power, and does not currently do so.
Due to a mechanical problem, Lamb said the wheel sat idle for 10 years.
“Much work has been done in the last two years to restore the wheel, thanks to help from the community and contributions via a Go Fund Me campaign,” Lamb said.
To update and improve the wheel, Lamb replaced the axle and bearings. He also leveled the wheel, which had a problem of moving sideways when it ran.
“I also replaced the wheelhouse roof, which had several inches of ferns and moss growing on it, causing rot,” he said. “When I came into owning it, a mid-’90s creek washout had deposited 1½ feet of silt under it, and blackberries were taking over, so some major landscaping was done. My wife and I have added red-themed plantings for fall color.”
The Niagara Heights Water Wheel will be painted this year, Lamb said.
Most recently, the water wheel became the winning photo to grace the December cover of Ruralite magazine, an honor both Lamb and photographer Jim Mullholand relish.
“This is the sixth year in a row that one of my photos has won a cover contest for Ruralite magazine,” said Mullholand, who spotted the wheel years ago on his travels to the area.
“Last year, I read about the new owner and the lights on it,” he added. “I drove out to take photos after sundown.
“The photo on the Ruralite cover was taken that evening,” he said. “It wasn’t too hard to get this image, but took some time and a lot of photos to get the right one.”
Mullholand took his winning photos with a Nikon D7200 on a tripod, using a 12-millimeter wide-angle lens.
Mullholand spent the first 20 years of his life living in the Great Lakes area, and discovered the Willamette Valley in 1993.
“I’ve always had an interest in photography. Living in the Pacific Northwest is a perfect place to get out and photograph nature,” he said.
As far back as he can remember, Mullholand said he always had some kind of camera.
“With the technology of today, each image I capture and process is a learning experience. It never ends,” he said.
Owner of JM Photography, Mullholand’s photos have been published in several magazines, including 1859 Magazine.
“My rainbows and lightning photos have been shown on local TV stations during their weather segments,” he said. “My claim to fame has been my ‘Electrified Tulips’ image. It received the grand prize at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival’s photo contest and also the grand prize in Pro Photo Supplies annual photo contest.
“The photo is of a perfect bolt of lightning when I was doing some night photography at the tulip farm,” he added. “The photo was posted on all The Oregonian’s social media pages and on all the local Portland TV stations. It even showed up on a TV station in Baton Rouge!”
A member of the Brownsville Art Association and the Willamette Valley PhotoArts Guild, Mullholand’s work can be viewed at the Brownsville Art Center.
“Three of my photos are included in an exhibit at the Lasells Stewart Center at OSU in Corvallis,” Mullholand said. “One of the images I have in the exhibit is the old railroad bridge in Mill City.”
The exhibit runs until Jan. 27.
Prints of the water wheel photoare available at www.jimmullholand.com. Also for sale on the website is Mullholand’s 2020 calendar, which includes the photo.
Lamb, meanwhile, created a Facebook page, Niagara Heights Water Wheel, to provide photos, videos and information.
“The wheel is decorated with lights for the holidays, which present nice opportunities for photographers,” Lamb said. “Anyone within driving range should make the trip to see it!”
