Historic Hood River
Farm Life
2-7-2018
Notes
This nice family grouping is unfortunately a mystery. The note on the reverse is barely visible against the grey matte board the image is mounted on. After significant digital enhancements this is what came out, “Save: No names. May have come from J…”. Unfortunately the final word is lost to an indecipherable handwriting.”
Recognize anyone?
Charlott
Appears to be a hard working farm family on their back step. I think that the young boy is sitting on the edge of what might be a well, but then again it could be something else. That appears to be possibly a cane he is holding, so maybe an issue with walking? I would think though that if that was the case he would have shoes on…I don’t think they probably then had the knowledge of support in a walking situation. Who knows what is going on? The youngest girl appears to be wearing glasses. Looks like possibly Grandpa in a suit……………..and oh yes the typical farm dog..
Either a tool shed or chicken coop in the back there.
How sad we don’t know why they might be….Again write names on the back of your photos……
L.E.
Well, they are smiling. Looks like bleak conditions to me.’
At first I thought the boy had a crow bar, but I think Charlott is right. Looks more like a cane. Looks las if the man in the suit might use it.
L.E.
Not related to this photo, but I just saw on Gorge Current Events, that on Saturday February 10, The Original Wasco County Courthouse is hosting a talk from 1:39 to 2:30 about:
Fourteen Miles on the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railroad
Retired math teacher Loren Delaney was born in The Dalles and raised in Wishram. He will present a tour of north shore railroad history between mile posts 94 and 108. Of special interest are photos of the "Norma," the stern-wheeler that plied the river prior to the Wishram to Celilo bridge, key to James Hill’s victory in the race to construct the Oregon Trunk railroad.
The Original Wasco Co. Courthouse is at 410 W 2nd Pl in The Dalles
Longshot
I wonder if the tank would have been a cistern? Whatever it is the staves have dried out and the bands dropped out of place. Don’t see a water spout or anything to fill it from the roof though.
Shoes may have been considered a waste for a growing boy who would only get a year or so out of a pair before he out grew them.
The guy in the back has an interesting hat.
Buzz
And the guy on the left has an interesting beard.
ArthurB
No comment on that sturdy outhouse?
L.E.
Charlott thinks it is a tool shed or chicken house. Looks too big for an outhouse, unless it has more than one hole.
The open door reminds me of my grandfather. My grandparents lived next door to us, and even though they had indoor plumbing, grandpa often used the outhouse. The door faced the road, and grandpa would sit in there with the door open. Granted, about the only cars that went by our place back then were the milk truck and the mail man, but I was so embarrassed that he would do that.
The outhouse is where the out of date Sears and Roebuck catalog ended up.
Dale Nicol
It appears that the cane has a string attached close to the bottom end and could this be the camera shutter trip line?
Arlen Sheldrake
ah, an outhouse…..when we moved to our place on Belmont in 1948 it still had in place an outhouse even though indoor plumbing and septic tank had been in place for years…dismantling was not the most pleasant task. it wasn’t however facing Belmont! that sure looks like an outhouse to me in this picture……
Arthur
Sorry Dale, that "string" is actually just a scratch on the print. Examining the full resolution scan, it actually starts a little to the right of the cane.
Judy
Actual cursive writing on the back of pictures? We can get jobs reading cursive to people since it is no longer a requirement in many schools to teach it. If they can’t write it, they can’t read it.