I stumbled across this message regarding this "unique rock formation." It is indeed, Pulpit Rock, located at 12th and Court Street in The Dalles, Oregon. There are a great many of these weird and unique rock formations in the Columbia River Gorge, carved by the Missoula Floods during the ice age. (Do a google image search on the Columbia Gorge, Beacon Rock, Pillars of Hercules) or search the image archives of Oregon Historical Society or Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. The picture of your family was very probably taken on an Easter Sunday, as the community still occasionally holds religious services at Pulpit Rock. The significance of this rock is that it was used as a pulpit by the Methodist missionaries who were the first whites to settle in The Dalles, in March of 1838. Rev. Daniel Lee (nephew to Rev. Jason Lee) and Rev. Henry K.W. Perkins held revivals during the next few years and Pulpit Rock, located just south of the current high school's Amotan Field (site of Amotan Springs, a sacred site for the Wascopam Indians), was located on the Mission grounds. The history of this mission can be found in the book "People of The Dalles" by Robert Boyd. I am the webmaster for www.historicthedalles.org, which is the official website for Wasco County Historical Society. -- Susan Buce, email info (at) historicthedalles.org