Historic Hood River
Slow Down!
1-23-2012
Notes
The Davidson collection includes photos of several excursions from Hood River. I’m pretty sure I know where this one is, but Scott Cook thinks I’m wrong. Identify the location and settle the debate. A matching snapshot would be even better.
The signs say “Slow Down” and “Thanks” You don’t see such polite road signs anymore, but the 1910’s were a different era.
Charlott
Totally at a loss on this one. Hills behind look familiar, so don’t recall ever seeing a photo of this church, right off hand. Great picture though, gives a good idea of ladies "attire".
Across the river somewhere????
l.e.
Must be a hot day. They are carrying their jackets.
Lovely and very thoughtful photograph.
Could be the WS hills.
The Thanks and Slow Down signs make me wonder if you are leaving one town and entering another.
nels
Mosier?
l.e.
For now, I am going to guess the Bethel Congregational Church in White Salmon.
It is rather humbling to realize how much you look at something and still not know it.
Dan
It’s kind of a spooky photo, They seem to be stopped and looking at something.
Charlott
Wondering looking at the picture, if it isn’t Bingen, with the Columbia behid the church and the hills over there somewhere where the Old Dalles Road towers are. I don’t know. Just a guess.
l.e.
I thought of that too Charlott.
I also wondered if they were walking from the ferry dock into Bingen.
I will have to investigate the views when I go into town. Of course they are going to look different now, covered with snow.
One thing worth thinking about….
If this is the White Salmon/Bingen area, I wondered why a HR photographer would be taking a photo of people walking downhill from the upper WS area.
There were HR families staying on this side during the construction of Condit Dam.
Could some of them be walking into town to attend church?
There is a HR Glacier article, March 13, 1913 that tells about a group of HR residents making the walk to view Condit Dam, which is almost complete.
Mike
Is that Dee, with Gilhouley in the backround?
Arthur
OK, l.e. has sent me a photo she took today entering White Salmon from the west side, and it’s a match in my book. So I win my bet with Scott Cook if he ever gets back from wherever he hides in the winter.
Charlott
You are saying White Salmon and not Bingen down on the flat?
l.e.
Charlott….I looked at different angles from Bingen and none of them fit. They aren’t the Oregon hills.
There is enough similarity from a White Salmon viewpoint that I personally am convinced that is where the photo was taken.
But it is amazing how much hills can change in 100 years. There are more trees now on the hills and of course, buildings get in the way to replicate the photo.
A photo of the church would help.
Charlott
Le, I think I can tell you right where that church was. If you are walking along the road above the bluff to the east you come right into White Salmon before you start to drop down the hill. That church is setting right on that corner. If I remember there is a church building or what was, not this one naturally, on that corner, right?
It is definitley in White Salmon……
l.e.
Yes, Charlott, definitely White Salmon, and definitely in the area you describe. But, I only realized that when you suggested across the river. That meant it wasn’t Pine Grove.
I have been looking through some history to try and identify the church. It might not be the Congregational church as I first thought.
It almost appears to be where the clock tower now sits.
We will get it figured out.
museumbound
I believe this photo was taken on what is now called west Jewett Blvd. just west of down town White Salmon. Where the trees are located on the right in the photo is where Rudolph Lauterbach built his home in the early 1900’s for his wife and 8 children. The 4 story home still is located there today and is owned by Margaret Walker. The church in the photo I believe is the Baptist Church and was only there for a few years. Part of the basement wall is still visible in the pull out across from the Walker home. Still doing research on this church.
l.e.
I am so glad to see someone comment on this photo.
It haunts me because I can never get the right position for the hills and I have never been able to find a building steeple that matches this one. I have looked at photos of old White Salmon schools and churches and none of them match.
Hopefully you are right, museumbound and the mystery will be solved.
JW
Those hills are the hills of Snowden as seen from NW Washington Street, looking east. That structure is likely the current Saint Joseph’s Church.
David Gruen
Baptist Church that no longer exists west end of White Salmon