Historic Hood River
Posers
5-28-2026
Notes
This is a detail from an image of Samuel Finley Blythe with wife Emma, and children Edward and Clara. Based on the apparent ages and birth dates this is from the late 1880s or 1890s. The pose is classic for that era: they stand spaced several feet apart, hats in hand, Edward on his horse. Even the family dog got the memo, though he is a little close to Emma, who probably gives him scraps while she is cooking.
The full image includes the entire fir tree. I suspect this is an O. M. Pope image, though this print has been trimmed so we don’t see a photographer’s imprint. We know Pope was active in this area in the early 1890s.
Roger Sheldrake
Good Grief! That tree saw some history long before this photo was taken.
L.E.
That tree seems more impressive than two oak trees.
Rico
They definitely don’t make trees like that anymore. That lower limb going to the left must be 24ft. Long?
andy B
Any idea where that is? Would love to see that tree now if it is still standing.
Thorn
The Douglas Fir can reach 14+ feet diameter, 40+ feet circumference, 450+ feet tall, and 1000+ years old. So Jesus, was two Douglas Firs ago. The Missoula Floods twelve trees ago.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Creek_Fir
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nooksack_Giant
Rico
Wow! Thanks Thorn for the links
Arthur Babitz
Blythe’s land was somewhere between Cascade and May, east of 30th. They were west of Adams Paradise Acres. You can see the discussion of the location here: https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org/hood-river-city-map-1931/