Historic Hood River
Bridge Detail
2-4-2020
Notes
This is a detail from an image we’ve seen before. I thought you might find the detail of the bridge construction interesting. This early bridge over the Hood River appears to have a steel truss structure and wood piers. We know it washed out frequently because it was so low in the flood plain of the Hood River.
There’s also some interesting detail of the Button property and the road up to the east side. Also, check out the ladder on the rightmost pier.
Gladys
Something I have never noticed before in any photos of this area. Look how the road dip downward, in the area where the Y in the road is now. Either this road closer to us was cut down more over the years of construction or the area further up was filled in more. The building on the right is in the area (maybe a little higher up) where Wallace McGee resided in the 1940’s.
Too bad this doesn’t show a little more area to the right, as you could see then where the road swung up onto what we know now as Highline, which was the road out into the valley very early on.
Would be interesting to know where that track type road went off to that goes straight up the hill.
Kyle
Also curious about that path/road going straight up the hill.
andyb
It all looks so much nicer than it does today. That new bridge is ugly, and so is the back side of Tumalum. I can see though why that old road down to the old bridge was extremely dangerous in snowy conditions.
I’m wondering if that track straight up the hill is a fence line.
nels
Do my eyes deceive me or does the vehicle bridge end out there?A No supports, no handrails, no river pylons. Is this a picture of another washout?
ArthurB
The grade up from the bridge is a little deceptive. It doesn’t actually dip down, it just stops climbing as steeply. This image shows where it levels out: https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=1260
ArthurB
@nels, the bridge itself has a truss structure supported at both ends but not the middle, which is why you see no pylons. The section with wood piers is the approach to the truss bridge.
Buck Parker
Do we have a date for the very first bridge over the Hood River?