Historic Hood River
Chicken Charlie Island
5-3-2017
Notes
This is the earliest photograph I have seen of Chicken Charlie Island. Earl Conser calls it “Nineteen Mile Island” while we now call it “Eighteen Mile Island.” He also calls it “Chicken Island” and you can clearly see chicken coops on it. The Wikipedia history of the island indicates a chicken ranch in 1904, but we can push that date back a few years since Conser was here in 1901-1902. Note “Charlie” didn’t show up until 1915, but his name has stuck to the island for more than 100 years.
stever
Wow ! So this is a view looking NE it appears- look at all the sand and tree cover-
L.E.
Eagles and hawks would have been a problem for the chickens, but no worry about skunks, coyotes, raccoons, neighbors’ dogs.
Dayne Weatherill
the island would have been much bigger then, before the dam
L.E.
I am surprised at the Evergreen trees. I assume the 1894 flood totally covered the island.
Kenn
I read that after the dam the water came up into Charlie’s house, they had not told him about a change in water levels after a previous notice.