The Teenager Who Conquered the Columbia River
After multiple failed attempts by others, a 16-year-old girl successfully navigated the treacherous current between Kennewick and Pasco.
Miss Mary Foy, 16 years old, made her second successful attempt to navigate the Columbia River between Kennewick and Pasco Sunday. The distance is approximately one mile and was made in 18 minutes. Several attempts have been made to swim the river from the east bank, but owing to the current they were always unsuccessful in reaching the west bank, and the swimmers had to be taken from the water.
“Several attempts have been made to swim the river from the east bank, but owing to the current they were always unsuccessful in reaching the west bank.”
Swimming the Columbia remains a dangerous local tradition, though the river's character has been permanently altered by dams constructed decades after Mary Foy's feat. Her success highlighted both the physical prowess of local youth and the specific geography that defined the rivalry between the two cities.
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