Historic Hood River
Alva Day?, 1929
1-16-2012
Notes
I believe this is a self-portrait of Alva Day in front of his house. The house is still there, and looks much the same as it did when Mr. Day shot this image in 1929. Today’s bragging rights go to the first person to provide the correct address. There’s a big hint staring right out at us.
The car belongs to Mr. Day’s employer, Pacific Power and Light Company. Check out those leg wrappings– can someone explain their function?
Charlott
120 Pine Street……..my guess as there is a house similiar or is that one. I don’t really know….
Arthur
Close, but it’s not 120 Pine.
Jim Gray
June Street, one block east of 7th
Arthur
I’ll give it to Jim– the address is 420 June Street, which is the NE corner of 5th and June. Since there is no 6th Street in that area, it is in fact one block east of 7th.
And the car, Jim?
Charlott
My eyes don’t work too good.
Gordon
The leg wrappings as you call them must be what most peole call leggings to protect the bottoms of trousers / wearers legs etc.
Jim Gray
It looks like a Ford Model A pickup, late 20’s early 30’s, wonder if the leggings are to protect his pants and legs as mentioned for his job working for Pacific Power climbing power poles and attaching the spikes.
John
That car looks like a late Model T Ford…probably 1927. The wheels look close to the 21 inch wheels found on the early Model A Fords. Want to be sure…go to the WAAAM museum at the Ken Jernstedt airport where you can see a number of Model T Fords,
Jim Gray
For sure not a Model T, Model A 1928 to 31, The Model A roadster p/u is one of the most desired vehicles for hot rodders.
l.e.
Snakes? Was Mr. Day headed into snake country?
Paul Kollas
It’s a 28 or 29 Model A roadster p/u. There is one on display at WAAAM
Susan Baldwin
Wow. My father and mother, Boyd and Opal Holloway, bought this house in 1955, I believe from the Day family. My brother was born there, my stepmother, Linda Holloway, still lives in the house, and it DOES look much like it did in 1929!
Arthur
Thanks for that info, Susan. We just finished scanning a series of images showing the construction of the detached garage in painful detail. Alva Day really liked to document things. The final picture we have of the house is one of Alva Day harvesting string beans in 1955, a few months before he passed away.
L.E
Some extra information about Alva Day and his family.
From the March 3, 1910 HR Glacier
"Wm. M. Stewart of Denver, Colorado, is visiting his daughters, Mrs. Sanford Tate and Mrs. Alva L. Day. He arrived Saturday and will investigate Hood River Valley. He expects to visit Coos Bay Later."
Io Day’s sister Helen was married to Sanford Hunt Tate and also living in Hood River.
Their father William M. Stewart and mother Adelia King Stewart both moved to Hood River and passed away here.
William C. Seaton
Adding to Susan Baldwin’s comment: in the summer of 1957, I helped Boyd Holloway prepare the front yard of this house for a new lawn. In exchange, he painted my old car for me.