To this day, the 1958 disappearance of the Martin family remains a mystery – it is one of Oregon’s long-standing cold cases about a family of five who never returned from a day-trip to the Columbia River Gorge, just before Christmas.
The Martin Family was popular among their church community, and all indications were that they were happy, so it was met with great shock when the community learned of their disappearance. What could’ve happened? There was no trace of them – it was as if they just vanished. Kenneth and Barbara Martin and their three daughters, Barbie, Virginia, and Susan, were gone.
Martin Family Case Remains Unsolved as Officials Stop Short of Confirming Recovered Vehicle
On December 7, 1958, the family left Portland in their 1954 Ford Custom station wagon and headed up the Columbia River Gorge to look for greenery to add to their Christmas décor in the home. They were reportedly seen stopping for snacks and fuel in Hood River in the late afternoon. There was also a report of seeing a car that matched theirs in The Dalles, near the river. After that, no one saw or heard from them ever again…