Historic Hood River
“At the Ferry Landing, About 1914”
10-15-2020
Notes
I believe this view is from the Washington shore, looking upriver towards Stanley Rock. I think this was taken from the landing at the base of Dock Grade, which means the Hood River White Salmon Bridge would now largely block this view.
Category: default
Tags: 1910s, Columbia River, ferry, ice, Stanley Rock, steamer, steamship, sternwheeler
Tags: 1910s, Columbia River, ferry, ice, Stanley Rock, steamer, steamship, sternwheeler
nels
Weather is changing for sure. When is the last time the river was frozen over like this?
Arlen L Sheldrake
Father John L told the tale of driving a automobile on the Columbia pre-Bonneville Dam. that ice could not be good for the paddle blades…….while I agree that the weather is changing…I think the dam did most of the temperature change…..
L.E.
Brrrr. In 1968 I saw the river frozen solid behind Bonneville Dam. I don't know how thick the ice was.
Like Arlen, I agree that the weather is warmer, but also, the dams prevent ice from floating down the river and jamming up to freeze together in big chunks.
I have photos of my husbands family trying to get the cream cans off of Government Island by sled so they could get them to the creamery. The ice chunks are huge.
Another thing dams do is keep a steady flow of water. Back in pre-dam days the river level would have been low in the winter. Easier to freeze. Now days, the river level and flow is kept fairly constant.
ArthurB
My understanding is the dams reduce turbulent flow in the winter, so the water doesn't cool as quickly in the cold air. I've heard it likened to stirring coffee to cool it faster. I'll have to double check, but I think the last time I researched this I found the Columbia last froze over in the 1940s, after Bonneville Dam but before the Dalles Dam.
L.E.
Hopefully Charlott will chime in here, because I think her husband walked across on the ice when he was in high school.
Arlen L Sheldrake
if anyone walked on the columbia in the 1950s it would be Dick Jones.
Charlott
Yes, it was my husband Dick Jones and one of his pals, Tom Barney that walked across it. Right in the middle (boat channel) area he said the ice was naturally thinner and he could see the water rushing under the ice. Situation was that once into Bingen decided maybe they hadn't been as smart as they thought, so walked the bridge back to Hood River. Got to the toll house and the toll taker wished them to pay as “foot traffic”. Neither had any money with them, as their adventure had, like many others, been a spur of the moment action. The toll taker would NOT let them through. He did let Dick call his father, who came down and paid their crossing fee, and at the same time found out what their adventure had been. Yes, young Mr. Jones was not in the good graces of his parents and I don't think Tom Barney was probably hailed as a super hero for walking the ice to Bingen. It had to be no doubt the winter of 1957 and 1958.
Kyle
That's hilarious. And a little scary.
Arlen L Sheldrake
thanks Charlott for the “rest of the story”. I am surprised that Dick didn't just walk on past the bridge toll taker…..but sure GLAD he and Tom didn't walk back across the river!
Charlott
Guess we can agree they were dumb but not totally stupid.