Historic Hood River
Clearing Land
1-23-2023
Notes
I believe this Laraway plate shows clearing of orchard land. You can see smouldering slash piles in the background. I wish we could see the equipment they had to clear this land. This probably dates to the first decade of the twentieth century.
Will
I was wondering if the stumps were dynamited.
L.E.
Looks like a war zone.
People would be horrified if this took place today. But, some of Hood River’s most scenic and beautiful photos are of the orchards, barns and the mountain. All visible because the forest has been removed.
I assume the equipment was a team of horses and a cable.
I grew up on a farm at the west end of the Gorge. I knew it as fields. But my dad told about my grandfather working in the Paper Mill, then coming home, milking cows and then by lantern light going out and digging out the the long roots along the stumps of the huge fir trees. I think the roots were dug out, sawed away from the stump and then the stump was blasted. Tremendous amount of hard work.
kmb
I agree with L.E. – my first thought was this looks like a war zone. And those nicely dressed people out in the mud? It’s a stark scene, this must show Laraway’s "artistic" side.