Historic Hood River
Colorful World
12-23-2024
Notes
It sure is nice to see an older view of the town in color. I would never have guessed that truck was sporting that two-tone paint job or that pickup was candy-apple red. The film was processed in March 1959.
The old bank building on the NE corner of 3rd and Oak housed a jeweler and an insurance broker (W.S. Finney). Next door was Young’s Bakery and Coffee Shop, Mode-O-Day Women’s Clothing Store, then J. C. Penney, Hal’s Mens’ Wear, Rexall Drugs, and of course Franz Hardware. Then a furniture store, the Mt. Hood Hotel, and Bill’s Texaco Station.
Category: Downtown Hood River
Tags: 1950s, 3rd Street, automobile, Hals, JC Penney, Mode O Day, Oak Street, Youngs Bakery
Tags: 1950s, 3rd Street, automobile, Hals, JC Penney, Mode O Day, Oak Street, Youngs Bakery
Dale Nicol
Two tone paint schemes were very popular starting in the early 50’s and candy apple red was “the hot custom color” around 1955 in SoCal.
Dale Nicol
The two toned lead car parked is a 1955 or 1956 Pontiac.
kmb
This is a great view (in color!) of the quintessential main street in small town America of that era. It evokes a certain nostalgia for a simpler time. The lineup of stores here is very similar to other small towns of the time that I am familiar with, and these types of stores existed well into the 1970’s, until we all started going to the nice, shiny new malls.
Will
Well put KMB.
It gets me wondering about the history of parking meters.
Ellen Shapley
I’m curious if any of the stores updated their store fronts in the 1930s/40s with Carrara or Vitrolite glass (black, cream, green, rose) at the pedestrian level.
L. E.
I agree kmb. It was a simpler time. The small town served the locals and the surrounding area for most of their basic needs. They supplied, food, furniture, clothing, appliances, repairman for the appliances, automobiles, farming needs and more. Quite amazing really.
Perhaps we experienced a once a year shopping trip to Portland.
We will probably never go back to this era, but it does evoke nostalgia.
Cecelia Goodnight
I’m guessing the jewelry store was owned by the Carpenters at that time, Hal’s Menswear had been bought by Hal (will come up with last name eventually) from Sam Fosha. And returning home to visit during the 60’s I remember being intrigued by the parking meters going up and gradually increasing rates. In the beginning a penny got ? minutes; you could get most errands done with a few pennies.
JEC
Overtime parking citations were printed on small manila envelopes which were just big enough to hold the $2.00 fine. Some of the parking meters (about one per block?) had a small metal drop box attached to the post into which the fines could be deposited. I think I see one such box on the first post by the corner.
Arthur Babitz
Thanks JEC, I was wondering what the bright red box was on the first meter!