Historic Hood River
Date The Photo
Notes
This is a detail from one of W.F. Laraway’s plates of Hood River viewed from the east side. I’m thankful he made the effort to focus well enough we can zoom in to the detail to try and date the image. I first bracket the image: we have automobiles so it’s post 1907, and the old wagon bridge is still in place so it’s before 1919. You can see the First National Bamk/Heilbronner Building (1910) the “new” OR&N depot (1911), the Mt. Hood Hotel Annex (1913), the Fashion Garage (burned 1929), the Mt. Hood RR tracks (circa 1905), the full Paris Fair (1906). You can also make out our old friend Claude Cuddeford’s Blacksmith shop on Oak at Front, and downhill from there the livery building from HHR post #1. Of course there is the cupola from the older Mt. Hood Hotel building.
So far we have narrowed it down to 1913-1919, which isn’t too bad. That section of State Street looks like it hasn’t been paved yet, which I think pushes it to the earlier part of that range, but it would take some more research to be sure. Do you see anything to narrow down the date some more?
L.E.
I think you know your town pretty well Arthur.
Rawhyde
The building now known as "The Ruins" does not appear to be built yet, just the main building which recently housed Springhouse Cellars.
ArthurB
That’s kind of what I thought too, Rawhyde. Hard to be sure, but that would reinforce my suggestion this is early in the 1913-1919 period rather than later.
L.E.
Is that the United Brethren Church steeple in the upper left?
https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=1044
ArthurB
It is, LE. I wasn’t sure if people would see it at this resolution.