Historic Hood River
New Auto Park
4-20-2016
Notes
This photo is described as the new Hood River city auto park. Notes indicate it was on Jaymar Road and opposite the Tip Top Tavern, which I don’t think is possible. Another frame seems to confirm the Jaymar location, but I’m not completely convinced. The building is identified as the community kitchen and laundry. I also see rest rooms in the basement.
According to various articles in the Glacier, the auto park was opened in 1920 and served about 2000 cars in 1921. In 1922 the city started charging $0.50 to camp at the park. In 1922 the city recorded receipts of $1434 from the auto park (about $20,000 in 2015 dollars).
Category: Downtown Hood River
Tags: 1920s, automobile, campground, camping, Columbia River Highway, Jaymar, park
Tags: 1920s, automobile, campground, camping, Columbia River Highway, Jaymar, park
Charlott
Tip Top Tavern was up on the Heights. This is a new one to me. Never heard of this place before.
L.E.
Sounds like quite a bit of income for the 1920’s, but it looks like that would be an expensive facility for a city to maintain.
By community kitchen, do they mean all the campers could go in there and cook?
Scott Cook
I’ve never seen or heard of this. Nice!
Judy
Jaymar Road is down by the Rotary Skate Park
Arthur
I believe this was down by the skate park on Jaymar Road, and the reference to the Tip Top Tavern was incorrect– possibly they were thinking of Eliot Park, but I have not seen any evidence of an auto park there. Not sure where you could fit one given the steepness of the terrain around Indian Creek.
spinsur
Arthur, you might check w/ city pw, they used to have a very large binder of city properties, and I’m quite sure an "auto park" was listed. The binder should have deed and map info in it.
Jeremiah
I like how they have the rocks stacked, pointed upwards.
Kenn
Many if not most parks had community kitchens, individual fires in camping spaces was not normally allowed for safety reasons.
L.E.
I wonder if you could still find some evidence of this structure in the area of the skate park? Some pointed rocks maybe, (as if there weren’t many pointed rocks in that area).
Or maybe some rocks with concrete stuck to them from the foundation.
That community kitchen really intrigues me. Wood cook stove or electric? Wringer washing machine? Electric dryer or wooden rack?
Did you know that in 1922 you could buy a Maytag washing machine with a butter churn or meat grinder attachment?
Arthur
A washing machine with a meat grinder attachment? That reminds me of my "invention" of an in-sink disposal unit that doubles as a juicer.
nels
Was there not a mention of an auto park west of town in one of your previous posts? Maybe on the old highway 30area?
Jeffrey W Bryant
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn97071110/1920-06-03/ed-1/seq-1/