Historic Hood River
Ramona Hotel, Circa 1905
11-9-2011
Notes
The Ramona hotel was located at the SW corner of Oak and Fourth Street. It had been earlier known as the “Glenwood.” A note on the photo indicates Mr. and Mrs. DeVold were the proprietors.
Just out of view to its left was Hood River’s fire bell tower, fire station, and City Hall until the 1920s.
Here’s a more recent view.
Charlott
Nicholai J. and Matilda C. DeVold were the owners of the Ramona. Nicholai was from Norway and Matilda was from Sweden. I have no idea when they came to Hood River. Both are buried in Idlewilde Cemetery, Matilda outliving him by many years.
Notice the sidewalks are what you would really call boardwalks. Must have been a warmish day, as so many windows are thrown open. Would be interesting to know who the old gentleman with the cane was and his life story.
Connie
OK – so, I’m wondering about the faint object that is in the upper left corner. It looks like an American flag that has come untethered from a pole?? What would have been in the location that the photographer was actually standing to take this picture?
Kate D
Connie, I think it is a string of flags high across the street.
Arthur
Kate has the honor of posting the 1000th comment on Historic Hood River. Thanks to all commenters for helping create a valuable historic record.
Unfortunately the original image is not very sharp, but I think Kate is right about it being a string of flags. There are two other strings of objects visible– they may be flags or lights. We have many photos with such strings across Oak Street, especially in the weeks leading up to the Fourth of July. There is also a large flag at street level in front of the next building to the west.
Arthur
In 1905 the building diagonally across the street housed office space and a grocery. The same block also held a print shop, a bowling alley, barber shop, candy store, billiards, an insurance office, and a general store– and that’s just the south side of the block. On the north side you could buy meat, paint, wallpaper, furniture, and building material.
Esther Smith
Is that building sitting on the lot that is now the Horse and Hound?
L.E.
From the May, 07, 1903 HR Glacier: page 7
Geo. D. Culbertson & Co. sold last Tuesday the Glenwood hotel for C.A. Bell to N.J. Devold, lately of Mount Hood: consideration $3,500. Mr Devold sold his farm property near Mount Hood a short while ago to Dr. Shaw, and has come to Hood River with his family to live permanently. The well known Glenwood will be changed and enlarged by the purchaser with a view to making the place an up-to-date resort for the traveling public.
L.E.
March 28, 1907 HR Glacier has an add that says HOTEL RAMONA under new management. E. Goldsmith, Prop.
Three blocks from Depot on Principal Street.
Principal Street??
The add also says, "Only White Help Employed."
Jeffrey Bryant
The Ramona Hotel burned June 16, 1912.
https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83009939/1912-06-19/ed-1/seq-1/
Jeff Bryant
The oak tree at the intersection of Oak and Fourth was still standing in early 1922. (The Hood River Glacier, January 19, 1922, page 1)