Historic Hood River
Hood River Valley Horticultural Fair
7-26-2011
Notes
About the same time a Hood River resident was visiting the Paris Exposition of 1900, Hood River was putting on its own great fair. This horticultural fair is the predecessor of today’s County Fair. It was held every other year between 1892 and 1910. This tent was set up near the railroad tracks, and gave farmers a chance to show their wares.
Admission was 15 cents, and we already saw the lunch menu in an earlier posting (it’s to the right of the tent, on the image margin). Since this is such a beautiful negative, I’ll post a few more details in coming days.
The Hood River County Fair starts tomorrow. Check it out, and take some pictures for future generations to enjoy.
Charlott
That would be a great slogan to carry on "Ye Shall Know Them By Their Fruits" Seems strange to see Wasco County and Hood River Valley on the same sign.
Must have taken quite a bit of time to outline everything in the boughs.
What ever happened to the 15 cents admission charge. Inflation?
My great-grandfather used to enter the wonderful fruit that he raised on his Pine Grove farm.
Could that be the corner of the railroad station on the upper right of the picture? It might say Hood, but then it might say food, a possible resturant type thing set up for the fair.
Arthur
Charlott, My guess about the big sign to the right of the tent is that it is the Davidson Fruit warehouse that was right by the station and the tracks. I’m guessing it said something like "Davidson Fruit Company/ Hood River." We’ll have to search for some other photos from the period to resolve this.
Charlott
Look at those little trees. They appear to be just stuck in the ground for effect. Oh to see exactly what was inside that building!!!!!!!!!!
l.e.
So the wooden part is a false front?
I wonder if the sign and card painter was local. Very professional looking work.
gorgecat
Appears to be Underwood Mt. in the background (top right) with some indications of timber harvest.
David
@Charlott: that’s because Hood River was formed from Wasco County in 1908. This was before that, so Hood River would have been in Wasco County.
Charlott
Very well aware of that.
Andy
The slogan was taken out of context of course, but it is pretty cool when applied to the fair. http://tinyurl.com/83dvnuu
Arthur
According to the November 9, 1905 Hood River Glacier electric service started from a hydro plant on the Hood River on November 1, 1905. If that was the plant powering this bulb that would make this the 1906 Horticultural Fair. It is possible there was an earlier source of electricity: #383 shows a piece of an earlier generator of a different type than the one mentioned in the 1905 article. Needs more research…