Historic Hood River
Resolution
Notes
The History Museum is fortunate to have a collection of negatives believed to have been made by the photographer Anne Lang at Cloud Cap Inn sometime in the late 1890’s to early 1900’s. These glass plate negatives capture the very earliest age of tourism in Hood River County. Visitors would come by train or steamboat to Hood River, then take a horse drawn coach on the arduous trip up to timberline for a stay at the Inn.
These negatives were executed by a skilled photographer, and our new scanner lets us examine all of the detail her lens captured. The 5″x8″ negatives are scanned into 100 megapixel digital images, so researchers and historians can examine the full detail right down to the film grain without needing to handle the fragile plates. It’s easy to spend hours exploring every corner of these files looking for tiny details of life at the turn of the last century. Which brings us to today’s “Mystery Monday”: What is the object on the table between the cribbage board and the pipe?
[Ed. Note]I can now date the copy of the Oregonian hanging on the wall to July 24, 1893. In a twin negative to this one the date of July 24 is readable, as well as the word “Ranges” below the date. Newspaper archives verify that the front page of the 7/24/1893 Morning Oregonian matches this clue.
spinsur
seems like dad, a pipe smoker, had a pipe cleaning tool similar to that.
l.e.
As soon as I clicked on the photo this morning, I was struck by the clearness of detail.
I have no answer for your question, but I think it is a beautiful photo, despite the slightly wilted flowers and the frays on the table cloth with the worn corner.
Charlott
I assume that this picture was taken in the lobby area where activites were held around the fireplace. I notice the things on the wall. I think that little group of ;note type things are business cards, and the newspapers are either to be read or used to start the fire in the massive fireplace. I think I would say that that thing is probably something in relationship to the pipe. This guy is either very borded or it looks like a staged photo. Why would someone be sitting inside like that when they had a wonderful natural area to explore…..Oh the idle rich, as that would be what he was, as only people with substancial finances could have spent time at Cloud Cap.
The flowers on the wall are probably there to dry, no doubt one of the numerous natural herbs that are found in the area.
Connie
I also believe the object in question is to assist with the cleaning, etc of the pipe. Staged – maybe? But it would be nice to see dates on the newspapers in the bag on the back wall. The flowers on the table I believe are bear grass which is blooming now? How exciting that these wonderful images are part of what the museum is able to preserve with the google grant. What a treasure!!
Arthur
The Anne Lang photos are all posed, mostly with people trying to look informal as you see here. There is a second plate with almost an identical view, though he has put his cards down on the table.
I understand it became a tradition at Cloudcap to pin the cards of those who summited Mt. Hood to the ceiling. Perhaps we are seeing the precursor of that tradition.
I can read some of the headlines in the newspaper and a few ads, but unfortunately the only part of the date I can read is "July". Another image in this collection has been dated to July 5, 1896, but we would need more research to be sure this image was taken on the same trip.
l.e.
I would venture a guess that the logs are hand hewn on three sides with a broad axe.
l.e.
And I am going to go ahead and make a guess. I think it is an awl to drill holes in the cribbage board.
Charlott
Yes, construction was all by hand done right on location. Remember no electrictiy and still none.
l.e.
Have you been there Charlott and if so, how did you get there? By car or did you hike in?
I know very little about the Mt Hood area, but Arthur’s pictures are feeding my interest.
Charlott
I pretty much grew up there and on the mountain, as I come from a very much involved mountaineering family also very involved in Cloud Cap. Not accessible by car in winter due to snow pack in the area. Summer by road, whenever the snow decides to melt out of there. It is not advisable, at least in my opinion to take your Cadillac up the Cloud Cap Road.
Keith
I believe that object is a pipe cleaner. One end cleans the mouth piece and the other cleanes the stack. Check out the dimensions.
Arthur
Added ed. note dating this image to 1893.
J.E. Sheppard
I was told years ago how the cards got stuck to the ceiling. They would push a thumb tack through the card, point it upward, and back it with a silver dollar (remember them?) underneath. Will Langile would pitch the whole thing up with enough force to firmly set the tack, card attached, to the ceiling beam–pretty high, and catch the silver dollar coming back down.