Historic Hood River
Bartmess Furniture
Notes
I can’t believe I haven’t posted this before, as it’s ones of my favorites. Sam Bartmess built this building for his furniture store in 1893. This image has an 1895 date on it, which is presumably the date of the image capture. The store was just east of the Paris Fair building in the south side of Oak Street.
Bartmess was apparently the local dealer for Victor bicycles. Bicycles were hugely popular in the 1890’s, with at least three dealers in the downtown area– just like today!
Bartmess eventually added undertaking to his portfolio, as was common with furniture makers of that era. Coffins have quite a bit in common with furniture. Eventually Bartmess left the furniture business to concentrate entirely on undertaking, moving his operation up to the State Street building we saw previously.
Many people are surprised to find out this building is still around. It is the only wood frame building from this era left in the Hood River commercial district. It doesn’t look exactly the same anymore, but the original Bartmess structure is still in there. Do you see it hiding behind that facade? Take a closer look next time you’re downtown.
Charlott
What I am interested in knowing, is what church is that up behind. Is that Riverside?
The door on the right no doubt was where the stairs went up to the second story.
What are those rolled things. Looks like runner carpets to me.
How cute the little girl looking over the railing up on the second floor. No doubt a Bartmess child.
Arthur is there any way you can zoom in on that picture to the side of the door just above the chair. Looks like some sort of a Civil War photo to me, with the southern cross.
No doubt early early spring or late fall, as the tree there doesn’t have leaves.
L.E.
Well, after several years of many Historical Hood River photos, and seeing that upstairs porch in many of them….I did not realize, or maybe I just don’t remember, that the porch is still there.
Thanks Arthur.
Arthur
I’ll post some details this weekend when I have some time. The "cute little girl" has a very surprising expression on her face, and there are fun things to see in the products for sale on the porch.
bob
What a nice surprise, as to day is my 70th birthday and Sam and Elda are my great-grandparents. I believe the little girl is Marie Bartmess Marshall or Aldeine Bartmess Small. The date of 1895 makes me think it was Aldeine.
Bill Seaton
I lived in the upstairs apartment behind the balcony of the old Bartmess building in the 1950’s. At the time, it was a fairly large apartment. It had a kitchen, living room, dining room, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and 2 doors that opened on to the balcony. The rent at that time was $45/month. Earlier it had been two long,narrow apartments that were later combined some time before we moved in.
Jeffrey Bryant
Hood River Glacier, 1925-04-16, page 1 says that B. E. Cobb had purchased the Bartmess Building from Mr. Bartmess.
https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn97071110/1925-04-16/ed-1/seq-1/
Jeffrey Bryant
Hood River Glacier, 1925-06-04, page 10 says that four new Cobb apartments are nearly complete in the Bartmess building.
https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn97071110/1925-06-04/ed-1/seq-10/