Historic Hood River
Oak Street Detail, 1946
1-29-2014
Notes
I’ve cropped this fine real photo postcard very tight so you can get a better view of the shops along Oak Street. The card was undated, but fortunately we can read the marquee at the Rialto Theater. The marquee says “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Boris Karloff in Bedlam.” We may know “It’s a Wonderful Life” as a perennial Christmas offering, but in 1946 both of these movies were new releases.
Some of the signs on the north side of the street: Hood River Alleys Bowling, Marchbank’s Cafe, Rialto, Gaulke Hardware, Barclay’s Drugs. On the south side of the street: Hood River News, Hudsons (gas station, I think), the Paris Fair, Keir’s Drugs, Chrysler.
charlott
One thing I notice, there is a good view of the old Button House down at the end of the street, across the river.
Many of those signs remained for a very long time. I assume those are billboards at the end of the street. I don’t remember those, so probably gone before I really recall downtown.
How many of you remember going to Barkley’s for "phospahtes"? Vanilla ones were my favorite.
This was a time that things were on the upswing, as the dreadful war was over.
l.e.
Looks like downtown parking was scarce even in the 40’s.
I would have expected to see more power and telephone lines.
I bet when the Fashion Garage burned you had a good view of the Button home.
This is one of those photos that isn’t very interesting unless it is your town and then there all kinds of interesting things to see.
thomturner3636
Yes, Barkley’s for phosphates, booths in the back, and the great candy selection including wax lips, black and red!
Longshot2
The Hudson sign includes the symbol of the Hudson Motor Company so I would assume that the sign is for a dealership.
What is the thing that appears to be hanging from cables in the upper left of the picture?
Jill Stanford
Golly! I LOVED wax lips – the red ones, not so much the black ones.
Bill Seaton
My Barkley’s memory was their 5 cent Chocolate Coke they made at the soda fountain. They’d take a squirt of Coke syrup, a squirt of chocolate, then fill the glass with carbonated water.
Andy B
That Button house is so much more attractive than the complex that is there now.
One of those billboard remnants was still there about 8 years ago when I came to town. Right beside the Kayak Shed.
Charlott
Oh yes, those and the little waxy bottles that looked like coke bottles. You bit off the top and sucked out the juice that were in them. Then the Clove and Black Jack gum……A few years back I found a special addition of both during the holidays. Did I ever stock up on them…..haven’t seen them since..
Nancy Trotic
Charlott, you can get all kinds of nostalgic candy at oldtimecandy.com. I ordered Beeman’s gum for my mom there awhile back. Sometimes something will be out of stock, though. Looks like they have Black Jack gum at the moment.
Great photo. Wish I could transport myself back in time and experience the town in those days. I love reading people’s memories here.
Susan Baldwin
Ah, the Rialto theater. In the early 1960s my brother and I would walk down the city stairs, a couple of Saturdays each month, to catch an afternoon double feature. One dollar bought our admission to two movies and a box of popcorn and a soda that we shared. Then we’d walk it off – back up the stairs – after the movies. The early 60s seemed a sweet, gentle time.
Robert Barclay
I am pleased that so many recall sitting at the fountain at Barclay’s Pharmacy. I spent a great deal of time sitting before the fountain soaking up calories and comic books, too. Although by my time, the fountain and its great mirror had been moved to what was called Barclay’s Heights Pharmacy. I dearly remember the white enameled roasted nuts display after it was relocated to the Heights store around 1960. I became a huge fan of roasted sunflower seeds and rootbeer floats!