Historic Hood River
Koberg Detail
Notes
Since I’m apparently not the only one who enjoys maps, I thought I’d do another “Map Monday” to kick off a look at some newly scanned Koberg Beach images.
As the Bonneville Dam project advanced in the 1930s, the Army Corps of Engineers sent teams of surveyors and appraisers to produce wonderfully detailed maps of the land which was soon to be inundated between Bonneville and the Dalles. I believe they used these maps to identify the value the federal government paid for the flowage easements which allowed them to flood these riverfront parcels. The maps were scanned by the USACE in 1997. I’ve zoomed us in about as far as possible given the quality of the scan, and I’ve cleaned it up a little to make it as legible as I could. You can see the mapping crew identified every structure, fencepost, outhouse, hen house, or anything else of value. This provides an amazing context as we look at period images of Koberg Beach.
The map is reproduced here in the orientation the original mapmaker selected. It is not “north up,” but instead he seems to have made the railroad roughly horizontal. For some reason it’s not marked, but it follows the 95′ contour. You can see some bits of section lines if you need to know roughly where true north lies.
In the 1930s access to Koberg was by the county road which descended from the Columbia River Highway, splitting off where the trailhead parking lot is today. There was a seasonal river level county road which is also noted on the map.
As you explore the bygone world in this map, remember the mean river level is now about 77 feet, with fluctuations +/- 3 feet common. We now have a gauge at our bridge so you can track recent river levels. The dark line on the map indicates the water level on September 3, 1935 (somewhere between 50 and 55 feet). The ordinary high water line (OHW) is drawn between 65 and 70 feet. You can see how much Lake Bonneville covered even before the interstate plowed through this area.
charlott
This gives such a wonderful view of what all Koberg’s had down there, both fruit and produce. Then all the various wonderful venues for entertainment. Certainly wish it was all there for us to enjoy. They certainly had a lot packed in down there, didn’t they.
Notice the greenhouse, no doubt where they started much of what they grew each year.
l.e.
Well….for someone who was going to take a quick look at HHR, make a comment and then get off the computer,…. a half hour later I’m still reading the computer screen.
Did you see the "hen house"?
There has got to be some pear trees remaining from that pear orchard. They would be between the railroad track and rock bluff.
Numbers, numbers, numbers. For someone who is not very good with numbers, I prefer to just look at landscape, but it really is all about numbers isn’t it? Numbers give it all meaning.
Thanks Arthur for all of the explanation and the link to the river gauge.
l.e.
In the book "Swivel Chair Logger", Tony Lausmann states that the family owned the beach at Mitchell point, which was the best beach in the area. He says they never charged the public for using it.
I assume that is a reference to the Koberg Beach.
He says Bonneville Dam took out much of the beach and what was left was taken by the freeway.
spinsur
Actually l.e., the Lausman name shows up on these same Bonneville Lands Maps west of Koberg’s, west of Mitchell Point, section 31 of T3N, R10E. There is a nice long "gravel beach" that parallels the river.
Scott Cook
The reservoir is still up there and sort of intact for anyone who wants to go give it a looksee. Arthur had showed me this map previously, and on the bigger version of it the one thing I found most illuminating was the exact position of the former airway beacon. I had assumed wrongly that the beacon was atop Stanley Rock, but this map pinpointed it on a bluff "above" Stanley and accessed via the HCRH (near MP 69). Ah, Arthur, thanks so much for help scratching all my little itches!!
l.e.
I had to check out the asparagus field.
Hard to believe it was three years ago that Arthur showed us this Koberg photo.
https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=7
At that time, a long discussion about the photo took place at the Hood River Weather site.
longshot
Wonder what the "flood control box (conc)" was?
l.e.
From the June 09, 1921 The Dalles Daily Chronicle:
"Flood Crest Apparently Reached—Despite the prediction of the United States weather bureau that the Columbia river at this point would reach a high mark of 43 feet this week, the river today gave every indication of having arrived at the flood crest……The general belief is that the waters will start receding tomorrow. During the last rise, the river broke the dikes protecting J.H. Koberg’s truck gardens near Hood River, resulting in a loss estimated at $10,000."
John Mclucas
fondly remember the swim lessons at Koberg’s,,,,Alpeenees used the rocks behind the ballroom for rapeling..
L.E.
I came across this in the March 2, 1905 HR Glacier page 4.
I wonder if somewhere, there is a copy of this map.
Make Fine Maps of the City.
Murray Kay was recently employed to draft a map of the city of Hood River for the Light and Water Co., for the purpose of locating the pipe and wire system of the company. The map is a splendid piece of workmanship, and excells anything of its kind ever executed in the city before.
The map indicates the different additions of Hood River, each of which is shown in different color. The width of all streets and lots is accurately indicated by figures.
Ned Henderson, the real estate and insurance agent, has made a copy of the map for his office……
Alan Winston
"… he seems to have made the railroad roughly horizontal. For some reason it’s not marked, but it follows the 95′ contour."
I suspect the bold line between the *two* 95′ contours marks the center line of the railroad track.
ArthurB
Thanks Alan, I think you are correct. The railroad is marked with a thick line which varies in elevation from 90 to 100′ across the sheet. This is only an excerpt of the full sheet.