Notes
It's hard to believe I haven't shared this image with you yet, as it's one of the first I saw in the collection. We're looking east on Oak Street from about 4th. It's 1895, the year the city of Hood River was incorporated, and this image was donated to the museum by a Mrs. Graham, the daughter of C.M. Wolford, the first mayor. Perhaps that's her looking back at us?
Mrs. Graham identifies for us the S.E. Bartmess Furniture Store and Undertaking Parlor, York Drug Store (later purchased by Charles N. Clarke). She says the store across from the Bartmess Store is the J.E. Middleton Store, and across Third Street is Bonney's Meat and Grocery Store. Behind the fence is the residence of Cradlebaugh, then editor of the Glacier.
Bonney's store, which you can just make out on the right, was called "Reciprocity Corner." He was very proud of the fact he would give farmers a fair trade price for the produce they brought in to trade for other merchandise.
Mr. Wolford went on to be the first mayor of White Salmon. We saw his store in White Salmon in this image. Does anyone know why he left Hood River? Too much horse and buggy traffic?
Category: [Downtown Hood River]
Tags: 1890s Bartmess bicycle Bonney horses Middleton Oak_Street Wolford York
Comments
Late afternoon picture, lots of people walking or talking. You sure this isn't the original "First Friday"? Fabulous picture!
Rawhyde on 13th January 2014 @ 7:19am
Ohhhh...I like this one!!! Almost surreal looking.
l.e. on 13th January 2014 @ 7:24am
And yes...it appears that even in 1895, parking in downtown HR could be a pain.
So...Bonney's store is where Paris Fair sits and the Drug store is where the Butler Bank/301 building sits?
l.e. on 13th January 2014 @ 7:39am
wow- like those tire tracks .... and all the rest !!
steve on 13th January 2014 @ 7:43am
Looking more closely, I'm pretty sure this image is mis-dated. We're looking at the same stretch of street as in #662 (Women's Drill Team) from last Thursday. Looking at the corner with the Bonney Store (3rd and Oak) you can see the same big tree and same fence line, and the Butcher shop and Reciprocity Corner are the same building. But-- the supposed 1895 image has a telephone pole which the 1898 image does not have, the clean fence line in the 1898 image is all broken up in the 1895 image, and the 1898 image has a blank wall on the Bonney building while the 1895 image has an elaborate sign. I think despite the "1895" note on this image it is taken after 1898, not before. I think "circa 1900" is probably more correct than "1895".
I'm a little more comfortable with the date of the 1898 image because it is part of a cluster of Spanish American war images, and the subject matter makes sense.
Arthur on 13th January 2014 @ 8:58am
Interesting that there were already a fair number of phone lines running along the street. Would they have been local line or transcontinental lines?
The streets aren't a muddy morass so it must have been past the wet season.
Longshot2 on 13th January 2014 @ 9:04am
It appears that all are wearing their "sunday" best in this picture. love the "always" present dog on the drug store porch. try hanging that "DRUGS" sign out today......
yes, we need some HR telephone history.
Arlen Sheldrake on 13th January 2014 @ 11:40am
Wonder if the closest building. on the right isn't the Bartmess Furniture store. The Bartmess family lived in a apartment above the store with a porch on the front. My mother, Aldine Bartmess, told me once that when she was about 5 years old she would stand on the porch and spit on people as they walked by or came into the store. Of course, when this was discovered, there was "hell to pay".
Elda Marie Small McMillan on 14th June 2014 @ 3:31pm
The Hood River Glacier, Saturday, December 8, 1894
Incorporated
At the election Tuesday 84 votes were cast – 47 for and 35 against incorporation. There was some hard work done against incorporating, but the opposition take their defeat philosophically and surrender gracefully. The election passed off quietly and pleasantly. The citizens ticket, the first one nominated, was successful throughout. Following is the vote:
Mayor – J. A. Soesbe, 25; C. M. Wolfard, 49.
Aldermen – S. E. Bartmess, 53; W. H. Bishop, 37; F. H. Button, 49; H. C. Coe, 29; O. B. Hartley, 43; L. E. Morse, 51; J. R. Nickelson, 40; J. E. Rand, 44; O. L. Stranahan, 21; J. F. Watt, 54. (Bartmess, Button, Hartley, Morse, Rand and Watt were elected)
Recorder – C. P. Heald, 68.
Treasurer – M. H. Nickelsen, 76.
Marshal – e. S. Olinger, 68.
For incorporation, 47; against incorporation, 35.
The nominations were all made without regard to party. Mr. Wolfard, who has the honor of serving as the first mayor of the town of Hood River, is a successful merchant, of the firm of Hanna & Wolfard. He is in every way well qualified for the office. Mr. M. H. Nickelsen, treasurer elect, is the proprietor of the Hood River book store; he is the right man in the right place. Mr. C. P. Heald, recorder, is Hood River’s only lawyer. He will deal out justice according to the law and at the same time have an eye to keeping up the reserve fund in the city treasury. E. S. Olinger, city marshal, is a liveryman, of the firm Olinger & Bone. He has been our efficient precinct constable for years, and no better selection could have been made for city marshal. Dr. J. F. Watt received the highest vote for alderman. He is a practicing physician, and his vote shows that he is popular. S. E. Bartmess is a dealer in furniture and lumber and also our popular undertaker. L. E. Morse is our postmaster, and the fact of his election shows that he retains his popularity for a year and a half. J. E. Rand is probably the youngest member of the council. He is a successful merchant of the firm of Rand, Dent & Co. F. H. Button is a farmer and stock raiser, whose place adjoins the town on the east side. O. B. Hartley is a member of the new and enterprising form of Hartley & Langille, commission merchants.
The officials of the new city government are all leading citizens and taxpayers, and that the government submitted to their care will be honestly and economically administered there is no doubt. The board of aldermen, with Mayor Wolfard as presiding officer, will have plenty of work to do in starting the city government, and we believe the work will be well done.
Jeffrey Bryant on 1st February 2015 @ 1:00pm
Joseph A Soesbe was my great great grandfather.
Ken Soesbe on 4th October 2017 @ 9:05pm