Historic Hood River
Snow!
1-10-2019
Notes
Since we haven’t seen any snow at city level so far this year I thought we could revisit the winter of 1916, when an early February storm dumped on downtown. According to The Hood River Glacier it snowed continuously for 50 hours, leaving 52 inches downtown. That same issue talks about the good old days when it really snowed.
Arlen Sheldrakes
not sure about the "good old days" Arthur….but I remember a winter in the mid-1950s or so that we had a large snow fall and then some freezing rain on the top….a neighbor skied or ice skated over the top of our pasture fence line out on Belmont…remember well digging out our long driveway to have the snowplow come along Belmont and plug the entry.
Charlott
Oh yes, I most certainly remember that year. I think it was 1950 that had a horrible snow.
Judy
Then there was the snowfall in "Ëœ79/"Ëœ80 . I REALLY remember that one. Does anyone else? I won’ t go into detail, needless to say it was memorable!
L.E.
Wasn’t 1916 the winter that ruined so many orchards and farmers changed the type of trees they were growing?
Charlott
1919 was the year that the farmers lost their apple trees. What happened there, or at least it is my understanding, someone please correct me if wrong, was that apple tree bark is more porous, thus water got into the trees deep and froze, where pear trees are denser and not so much inclined to freeze like that.
I recall that bad year, but thought it was 1983, maybe not. I didn’t live here, but my Dad dug out to his garage, not that he was going to go anywhere, and my Mom took a photo of him in the trench and only the top of his hat was showing.
L.E.
From the February 01, 1916 Oregonian:
COLD KILLS HOOD BIRDS
Hundreds of Alaska or Mountain Robins Found Dead.
Hood River, Or., Jan. 31
The cold weather of the past week has caused the death of hundreds of Alaska or Mountain robins. The handsome birds, said to be more numerous here than on any former year, have flocked by the thousands to the willow brakes along the Columbia lowlands.
"I walked across the lowlands yesterday." says JL Dear, and found piles of the birds starved and frozen to death, under the trees."
There is another article that says the train is throwing out grain on the tracks to feed the "China Pheasants."
February 2, hatchery workers work around the clock at Bonneville, trying to save salmon fry. Snow is 4 feet on the level. Hood River fall is 2 inches an hour and continues unabated. Greenpoint reports 10 feet.
In the Feb. 3 issue, Portland is paralyzed by an ice storm and call it the worst storm in recorded history with no relief in sight. February 5, Traces of Storm being removed.
February 7, heavy rains and snow melt in Willamette Valley are causing flooding.
Hood River is freezing with sleet falling. Orchardists are laboring to save fruit trees. February 8, Many of the Prune trees in Clarke County are destroyed by ice. February 9, higher temperatures and rain in the Cascades will add to the flood problems. Strong wind warnings have been posted at the Columbia River bar. The Dalles reports, for the first time in a week, all trains are running on time. High temperature of 51º. February 10, ice is moving in the river. Kennewick reports a chinook wind.
The bridge at Cottonwood, across the John Day is destroyed by ice. Ice is light at Cascade Locks but heavy at The Dalles. Efforts to release the Tahoma which is frozen in at Cape Horn.
jay
Took me a minute to locate – we’re looking SE across the street at the building that now has Trillium Café and Mountain View bike shop, with the corner of 2nd street past it. It looks like Oak Street had a row of substantial buildings past 2nd street but I don’t believe they’re still there, unless that’s Doug’s building down the block?
Arthur
The "Eat" sign is what is now Trillium. The "Doug’s Sports" building is visible, and beyond that the only big building you’re seeing is the Fashion Garage at the end of the block (Big Winds parking lot).