Historic Hood River
East Side Grade, 1890’s
4-18-2012
Notes
Yesterday we saw the old wagon bridge across the Hood River, today we see the climb up to Button Junction. This must have been a real challenge in any but the driest weather. I wonder if the bicyclist had knobby tires, or if he had to maintain traction with slicks.
Charlott
Really something. You can see where that roadway was sliding. Are all those boards bracing to help keep the thing together? I can just see two wagons attempting to pass on that so called "road"
Bet the mother of those little boys could have used some Tide when they were finished sliding around on that hillside.
Gives me a better idea as to why my great-grandmother arriving by train to take up residency though that Hood River was the "jumping off place at the end of the earth." I can just see her expression as she was taken up this "cattle trail."
l.e.
Gosh, every time there was a rain storm or snow melt, that road must have been a mess.
Nice wide pull out.
A good historical photo of the area.
Jill Stanford
I am enjoying this website so much! My grandfather was A.W. Peters and now I can see the bridge he crossed to get to his ranch on the east side and this muddy and narrow track as well. I never knew the top was called "Button Junction". Why? I’ve examined the Hood River Hotel where he stayed with his friend Ted Pooley and gave a dance. They rode horseback from their camps on the east side, carrying their good clothes with them and cleaned up at the hotel before receiving their guests.
spinsur
Jill, Button’s owned much of the property of that area, and down to the river almost to Koberg’s. Hence the name.
l.e.
Jill…photo #129 has a pretty good discussion about the Button Farm.
Casey
Those children look like they’re having a great time sliding down the dirt!
l.e.
I think the Button farm was first homesteaded by Nathan Benson who came to the area in 1854 with Nathaniel Coe and William Jenkins. Benson may have had one of the first post offices in the area.
Frank Button came to the area around 1889
You have to wonder if, when the families went to visit each other, they must have trekked up and down a dirt trail such as this and crossed HR.
Charlott
Why are we getting all this stuff posted that does NOT have any bearing on what this is about?