Historic Hood River
Dixon McDonald
Notes
This nice portrait of Dixon McDonald, circa 1912, is just an excuse to link to this very interesting history of Biggs as told by a letter to The Hood River Glacier in December 1909. It seems the editor offended the writer by calling Biggs “desolate” so he set the record straight. Of particular interest is his recounting of a terrible ordeal during the winter of 1861-62, when a stage got stuck in heavy snow, forcing the passengers to attempt an overland trip from the John Day River to the Dalles. Biggs’ role in this story is incidental, but it’s well worth the read. For reference, “Spanish Hollow” is a ravine in Rufus, and Leonard’s Bridge was a toll bridge built across the John Day River in 1867 (a few years after this event).
As for Mr. McDonald, we know he was the OR&N railroad company agent in Biggs in 1897, a retailer in Hood River in 1898, he sold International Harvester Auto Buggies in 1910 at his dry goods store on Cascade Avenue (you can see the interior of the store here), he was an officer at the First National Bank in 1911 or 1912, and he was elected mayor of Hood River in 1908.
L. E.
If Charlott was still with us, she would have much to tell about Biggs and her family history in the area.