Notes
This nice interior view is described as Dixon McDonald's store, circa 1910. It looks to me like the calendar may be open to July 1912, but it's a bit fuzzy.
The "general store" really did offer a wide variety of merchandise. One section has cans of sardines, crab, salmon and oysters (3 brands). Another has Postum Cereal, Quaker Puffed Rice, and Popcorn. There's Easy Jell, sugar and olive oil, canned pineapple and tomatoes, rakes, hoes, shovels, automobile tires, bicycle wheels, brooms, lawnmowers, wagons, irons and fishing poles. There are shelves full of miscellaneous parts which look just like my garage shelves. A sign suggests "Ask For a Free Sample of True Blue."
Notes indicate this store was located at Cascade and Third. The Sanborn maps indicate an "agricultural implement" store on the north side of Cascade west of Third, so perhaps that is the location.
Category: [Downtown Hood River]
Tags: 1910s 3rd_Street Cascade_Avenue General_Store Interior McDonald
Comments
I do not know whether this is Dixon McDonald himself. But he had quite a history with my great-grandfather Lucius Clark in the early days of Biggs. They were good friends there in that little and I mean little community in the 1890's. I am not certain what McDonald did there in Bigg, but Grandpa Clark had grain warehouses as he had the receivership of the grain coming down from Sherman County and owned the ferry between Biggs and Columbus (now Maryhill) In that huge flood of 1894 the little community just up around the bend called Grant(s) became a memory. There was a large distillery there and that big building came floating down the river. Dixon McDonald and my Grandpa Clark took "Nellie" the ferry tug, went out into the flood attached ropes to that huge building and it did drag them down river about a mile before they were able to beach it. They salvaged the lumber from that and I know they used it to enlarge their homes there at Biggs and probably for other building concerns. I guess it was free salvage. I don't know which one came to Hood River first, but think it might have been McDonald, as the Clark's didn't come to Pine Grove to actually live until 1904.
McDonald was the father of Ella (McDonald) Blancher, who later married Moe. I know that when my great-uncle Bliss used to visit Hood River he always had to see Ella, as they were best chums in old Biggs.
It seems that McDonald was also in the banking business here in Hood River at one time or other. Don't have time to go through my records and see for certain....
Charlott on 17th March 2016 @ 7:09am
Dixon McDonald was Canadian by birth. He was a one time mayor of Hood River. He also was an organizer for the Hood River County Game Protective Association in 1912 of which he served as president. A very involved Mason through out his life. He died here in Hood River in 1919.
Charlott on 17th March 2016 @ 7:14am
The contraption in the right foreground appears like it might be a human powered grinding wheel setup.
Longshot on 17th March 2016 @ 8:45am
As always .... Charlotte adds more back story and depth to a picture ! Thank you !
Anyone care to guess as to what the ink markings are about ? Near the person and the white triangle above the standing garden type tool handles to the right?
Steve r on 17th March 2016 @ 9:44am
Charlott must have very good sources for info.
Judy on 18th March 2016 @ 8:30pm
Most of what I know, which isn't all that much, is through my family and their connections with various people, and places that they lived within the Gorge, starting in 1873.
Charlott on 21st March 2016 @ 7:05am
A three tined pitch fork and bike rims...lanterns.
nels on 28th March 2016 @ 1:39pm