Notes
This set of two early views of Hood River was published in the periodical "The West Shore" in 1887. It may not be a photograph, but it's a great set up for several photos to come.
The railroad had come through just 4 years before, and Hood River would not incorporate as a city until 1895. The bottom view shows Oak Street, with the J. H. Middleton Store roughly where Doug's Sports currently resides. The E. L. Smith Store on the corner of Second and Oak stands where the Hall Building now stands (Gorge Fly Shop). It would be several more decades before the oak trees were finally cleared from Oak Street.
The article which accompanied these drawings spoke of the quality of Hood River's peaches, soft almonds, apples, and trout. It went on to promise:
During the summer, the wind comes in strong, mild breezes up the Columbia, direct from the ocean. Hot, relaxing weather is not known here. The country and climate seem to be fascinating. People sometimes settle here for a time, when their migratory instincts induce them to go somewhere else; but they almost invariably return.
Category: [Downtown Hood River]
Tags: 1880s EL_Smith_Store Middleton_Store Oak_Street railroad
Comments
I see the cord wood stacked for the train?
l.e. on 30th March 2011 @ 7:18am
What a shame the forefathers didn't have the foresight to leave the Oak trees! Have the street divide and go around them. It would have provided a natural traffic management control too.
steve s on 30th March 2011 @ 8:16am
Fascinating quote from the article! Little did they know that the strong breezes from the West (direct from the ocean!) would eventually make Hood River one of the wind sport capitals of the world. And, it's still true today about people being drawn back to this area after leaving.
hrweather on 30th March 2011 @ 6:55pm
What is the building in the top photo with all of the windows?
And in the bottom drawing, is that a corner of the livery barn on the right side?
l.e. on 4th January 2012 @ 7:24am
I think that's the Mt. Hood Hotel in the top frame. The building in the bottom frame is a 2 story which was the post office in the 1890s. We'll see a great picture of it in a few weeks.
Arthur on 4th January 2012 @ 8:12am
The bottom frame shows the Post Office.
Eph Winans, in his memories of arriving in 1886 says...
"The post office was in a building owned by George T. Prather, located at Second and Oak street, where Kresse drug store is now situated, a little one-story shack. Prather was the postmaster, appointed by President Grover Cleveland. If I remember rightly, the salary of a postmaster at that time was $25 a month. In a back room in the shack, Prather was also a barber. He would cut your hair for 15 cents and give you a shave for a dime."
Winans says the building on the northeast corner of First and Oak, built by G.M. Champlin, was unoccupied at the time.
Prather is in photo #134.
l.e. on 11th March 2012 @ 3:33pm