Historic Hood River
Bikini Time
4-1-2013
Notes
I think this is an appropriate image given the great weather we’ve been having. I believe it was shot in 1947 when the “bikini” was brand new. Maybe the car experts can help verify the date.
Does anyone recognize the house? It’s still around. Today’s challenge is to provide the address.
charlott
Come on now, those are two piece bathing suits, not bikinis.
l.e.
I’ll leave the address up to the locals.
Is it a rodeo parade?
I’m chuckling at Charlott’s comment. Yes, the date is about right, but those aren’t bikinis.
I have photos of my mom wearing just such outfits. Halter top with shorts. My kids are surprised that Grandma wore such risqué clothing. I think her photos are about 1945.
l.e.
What is the purpose of the large pole on the roof?
charlott
Looks like there is a line coming in, so has to be some sort of utility, would be my guess.
I agree it might be a parade, such as 4th of July or like l.e. says a rodeo parade. I don’t remember any rodeo parades, but there might well have been. We can be pretty certain that it is in the summer, from the big flowering bush – roses (?) and the fact that the shade is drawn down over that front window and naturally the bathing suits.
Maybe just a group headed for Koberg’s Beach.
ellen
Looks like a Fourth of July Parade. 1014 12th Street
Bill Seaton
It looks like the North side of the 400 block of Pine Street to me.
Arthur
Yes, it’s a parade, and Ellen gets the prize: 1014 12th Street in the Heights, roughly across the street from the Farm Stand and the Pine Street Bakery. This building is undergoing a major renovation right now, but this facade is still the same.
I suspect this is the July 4th parade of 1947, as another frame shows a fire department float advertizing the rodeo. The HRFD had the food concession at the 1947 rodeo.
Buzz
Pole on the roof–tv antenna??
Barbara Parsons Bernstein
David Jensen had a red convertiblle like that (more or less; I’m no car expert), with a horn that played "Mary Had a Little Lamb."
Arthur
Looking at the hi-res scan– the pole on the roof does not attach to the wires. It looks like a 2×4 with nothing attached to it. Maybe that should have been the mystery?
There’s a woman watching the parade from the upper window right next to the pole.
Jim Gray
Looks like 47 Desoto in front, parked behind it a 36 Ford, behind it, a 29/30 Ford and behind it a 47 Plymouth also a convertible it looks like. New cars were hard to come by right after the war, so somebody had some money or some pull, perhaps the local dealers inventory.
Norma Jubitz Simpson
It is funny that Joe Young took that picture as I believe Dorthea’s mother lived in that house. That might be her on the front porch.
Tom
Perhaps one of the inhabitants was a radio ham (or a short wave enthusiast) which would explain the wooden poles extending upward from the roof that appear to be antennas. There might even be insulators in the wires between these poles. Other, more visible, wires are likely to be telephone or electrical in nature. Does the high res version support this theory? As Buzz noted, TV could also be an explanation.
Lesa
People got up to some crazy stuff back in the 40’s and 50’s. Mom used to tell of the parties her folks had. It usually included folks, like the mayor, and the chief of police. One time they all got a bit loaded and decided to have an impromptu hayride. They went off down Belmont, from the farm, screaming and hollering, and stuffing peoples cars full of hay. Since the mayor and the chief of police were involved, they didn’t get into trouble. I was at a few parties of theirs in the 70’s, and they could still get a bit enthusiastic.
I also have very fond memories of Joe and Dorothea Young and their 4th of July picnics. Now if Dad and Nancy Moller could have just got along, sigh… I sure miss those days.
Larry Bennett
That’s a 1957 Chrysler.
Larry Bennett
Correction to last post. It should read 1947 Chrysler.