Notes
The History Museum has an important collection of glass plate negatives taken by Anne Lang at Cloud Cap Inn. I have been holding off posting them until I can review them with experts at Mazamas and Crag Rats, but there's a reason to rush this one through. The USFS is holding tours of Cloud Cap on Sundays this summer, and there are only a few of those left. Follow this link for info on reservations for these special tours of the Inn, which is usually off limits to the general public. Not only that, but this Saturday there is a special open house with tours and music, no reservations required.
This negative was in a sleeve with the notation "Tom and Jerry," so you might assume this man is either named "Tom" or "Jerry." But the Oregon Historical Society has an image which must have been taken within minutes of this one-- the only difference is the chipmunk (Jerry?) has turned his head. They identify the subject as Will Langille, circa 1895.
The Langille family played a key roll in the history of Cloud Cap Inn, taking over its management in 1891 when it was two years old. Will and his brother Harold served as guides for Mt. Hood climbs for many years, until Will left Oregon for the Klondike gold rush in 1897. He was later tapped by Gifford Pinchot to help develop Alaskan forest management, and he is often credited as the "Father of Alaskan forestry."
You'll be seeing many more of Anne Lang's photos of Mt. Hood and Cloud Cap when I've had a chance to confer with the experts. We have at least 52 images with notes as cryptic as "Tom and Jerry." I'm hoping those with a greater knowledge of Cloud Cap history can help me provide you with reasonably accurate accounts of these important images.
Category: [default]
Tags: 1890s Cloud_Cap_Inn Langille Lang_Anne
Comments
Tom or Jerry is definitely sitting on the front porch, main entrance to the lobby of the old day Cloud Cap. It appears if you look through the windows on the back wall, mountain side you can actually see the rock and snow of the ridge running up on the lower slopes of the mountain.
Does not surprise me to see the "Golden Mantle" sitting on his hand, as generally they are plentiful there. Occasionally if ferrets move into the old building, especially before renovation was done the Golden Mantle population would come to a screeching halt. Have had them many times take peanuts out of my hand or even a shirt pocket....
Charlott on 25th August 2011 @ 7:45am
Looks like Tom Sellick.
And we used to have a squirrel named Jerry.
Therefore the title Tom and Jerry.
What a beautifully clear photo. You can see the pupils of his eyes.
Thank you for all of the historical information about Will Langille.
l.e. on 25th August 2011 @ 9:24am
Tom & Jerry pre-dates the cartoon. There is the drink Tom & Jerry. If you look that up on wikipedia (Tome & Jerry Mixed Drink)
it says that is based on (and I quote from that wikipedia article) "Life in London, or The Day and Night Scenes of Jerry Hawthorn Esq. and his Elegant Friend Corinthian Tom (1821), and the subsequent stage play Tom and Jerry, or Life in London (also 1821)."
CB on 25th August 2011 @ 10:30am
Noticed the three boards leaning up against the building. Those are no doubt the boards that were used to board up the windows for winter.. Earliest form of shutters for Cloud Cap.....We definitely have come a long way....
Charlott on 26th August 2011 @ 7:18am
Good news Charlott, the Golden Mantles have returned in the last two years and are again entertaining the guests
Bill Pattison on 8th October 2011 @ 9:01pm
It should be noted that original door shown, is in the History Museum and the one at Cloud Cap Inn is a replica built by Lewis L. McArthur.
Bill Pattison on 8th October 2011 @ 9:05pm
Arthur....I came across this same photo in a google books document about William A. Langille.
Underneath the photo it says:
"Langille at Cloud Cap (c. 1895). Moody-McKeown Collection, Oregon Historical Society."
Do you know what that collection is?
l.e. on 24th February 2013 @ 9:11pm
We have a glass negative of this image and several similar ones on our "Martha McKeown Collection." The OHS has many images in their collection which were clearly taken at the same time. My best guess is at some point the collection was split in half, with half going to OHS and half to Hood River County. I think we have 57 negatives, though the attribution isn't clear on some. As this goes back to the early days of the county collection, the records are not very complete.
Arthur on 25th February 2013 @ 9:36am
From the May 16, 1891 HR Glacier:
"Will Langille will have charge of Cloud Cap Inn during the summer, ad will open it for the public June 1st. We are glad indeed to know the inn will be opened and that Will will have charge of it. He has been at the inn every summer since it was built, has been the guide on all occasions, and knows as much about the old mountain as any one. We understand he will not run the stage line, but will have plenty of hay and grain for stock, and will be prepared to care for all comers."
L.E. on 8th May 2018 @ 2:14pm
From the March 27, 1895 The Dalles Daily Chronicle pg 3
"A party consisting of M.A. Moody of this city, Lieutenant Taylor of the Cascade Locks, A.M. Balfrey of Lyle and W. A. Langelle of Hood river, went up to Cloud Cap Inn Saturday. That is they started Saturday and went as far as the elk beds, which point is about seven miles fro the Inn. At this point the snow was about three feet deep, mostly new snow. Leaving the elk beds early in the morning on snowshoes the party struggled all day through the soft snow which was at least five feet deep at the Inn, reaching that place in twelve hours. Returning the party reached Hood River at midnight Monday. Mr. Langille who has been in charge of, or located at the Inn since it was first built pronounces the trip the hardest one he has ever made over the route."
L.E. on 19th August 2019 @ 8:35pm
From the October 28, 1893 HR Glacier: Will Langille came in from Cloud Cap Thursday, bringing with him a wagon load of pine cones and a big black bear, he killed near the Inn Sunday.
L.E. on 26th October 2019 @ 6:15am