Any ideas on what the Buttons(?) grew on that flat spot due east of the east end of the new bridge? And what is that large barnlike building due north of the bridge, near photo center? Nice shot of homey Hood River.....glad to be home.......

James Holloway on 12th August 2011 @ 8:58am

My first thought when I saw this photo was, "doesn't look like the same photographer."
Could they not have come home via highway 35?
Like you James, after learning about the Button Farm from Arthur's photos, I have wondered what they grew on that rocky bench.

l.e. on 12th August 2011 @ 11:17pm

Good questions. I went back to the 1934 map of Button farm. It identifies the structure just north of the bridge as the residence, and the other large structure as a barn. The small square building is a frame tank house, and there is a service station below it at the junction (across from the billboards). Unfortunately no indication of what crops they grew.

Arthur on 13th August 2011 @ 12:13am

Balya Button was no doubt the original owner of "Button Farm" having been born in Oakland, Michigan and dying in H. R. in 1920.

His son Frank would have been the next owner of the farm., whos son Ralph Button would have no doubt been the next owner.

The Button house sat up there pretty much by itself when I was a child, sort of in a rundown state as I recall.

Charlott on 15th August 2011 @ 7:32am

We should recall that this was the refuge for many in Hood River during the Indian uprising on the north side of the Columbia River

Bill Pattison on 8th October 2011 @ 9:43pm

Harry English, who bought the house from the Buttons (and sold it to my wife and me in the late 80's) used to tell us that the Buttons grew asparagus on their farm.

Brian Carlstrom on 11th September 2020 @ 5:12pm