Historic Hood River
Backus Residence, 1886
11-5-2015
Notes
I considered making this a “where was this?” puzzle for you, but you wouldn’t have had a fair shot at it. This O.M. Pope image from 1886 shows the Gideon W. Backus residence. Notes in old ink indicate this was on the site of the Hotel Oregon (Waucoma Hotel), which stands at the corner of Second and Cascade. I was a little skeptical, but the layout of the house exactly matches the details of a house on that site in the 1893 Sanborn map. You can also see a bit of the Olinger and Bone Livery which was on the other side of Cascade, so I am confident this really is this location:
Charlott
I alway marvel at the foundations, or lack of them in these old houses. I noticed immediately that sloping front porch. Looks like a huge yard back there and all picketed in. I noticed the screen door. I would have imagine with all the cottonwoods down there and so close to the river, they would have had a mosquito problem.
L.E.
Mr. Backus must have like picket fences. We saw this one a few days ago.
https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=1232
Thanks for the Google view.
One of the Backus daughters married Olinger, from the livery across the street. Perhaps they are in the photo.
If the railroad arrived in 1882, this house must not be very old?
I hope your lecture went well last night Arthur. I missed it. Once it got dark, I just wasn’t up for a dark drive into town.
Arthur
Everyone loves picket fences. They seem a lot more friendly than the 5 foot high solid fences popular today.
Did anyone notice the ghostly head in the shrub just to the left of the rightmost woman?
Steve r
Yikes – and look to the right of her head for a larger side profile – jusr to the right of the tree base. Much larger in scale. It helps to zoom in …..
L.E.
But we don’t have a zoom….yet.
This must have been some type of special occasion. It looks like the lady on the left is standing by some ribbon and fowers?
I wonder what they would have thought of the Naked Winery door.