Historic Hood River
Ferry Landing
12-19-2013
Notes
This isn’t the clearest image, but it’s the only one I’ve seen showing the ferry landing at the foot of the mainline railroad bridge across the Hood River. I’m dating it to about 1920, pending review by the automobile experts. If that date is correct, it was just a few years before this ferry would be put out of business by the interstate bridge.
charlott
I am wondering if this isn’t a later place of landing than the original. Can anyone read what the sign says?
Since the poles are in the water, I am inclined to think that this is in the spring and it is high water time…doesn’t look like a whole lot of clearance between the bridge and water.
l.e.
I’m guessing it is a temporary landing during high water? In the summer there wouldn’t be enough water there for a landing would there?
That little ferry carried a pretty good load and I see it has drop gates at both ends.
Makes you realize how long it took to travel to White Salmon or Hood River.
Buzz
Ramps on both ends–drive on one end and off the other. Has anyone used the ferry that plies the Columbia today?
Arthur
The sign says "Danger/ Slow Down/ ???????/ One Way Traffic"
Arlen Sheldrake
Yes, that is an interesting corner under the bridge…..a truck coming the other way would be a bit heart stopping….
Love the UP logo on the railway bridge and the semaphore signal. now if we just had a train……….
spinsur
I also thought that was a UP logo, but if so, would that help narrow the date? When did the OWRRN get absorbed by UP?
Definitely only a slack water landing; can you imagine turning that underpowered slab sided scow sideways to the Hood River current upstream of that sharp-angled concrete bridge abutment?
Wonder what kind of work or play boat that might be tied up under the bridge?
Arthur
The train’s just around the bend, Arlen. Put your ear to the track and you’ll hear it.
AndrewB
That is such a great photo. Remnants of that road are still there. i had no idea there was a ferry landing there. Now, and for several years there has been a very large log pinned up against that bridge abutment closest to the ferry. I think it came down in the 2006 flood.
Ralph
Sure looks like Buster Browns and his dog Tige walking along the tracks!
Charlott
What ferry on the Columbia now? Didn’t know there was one. We used to take the ferry that went from Grant’s to Columbus all the time when it was in operation. Figure that location out…..
spinsur
Only one I know is the Cathlamet ferry near Longview.
http://www.co.wahkiakum.wa.us/depts/pw/
Buzz
Yeah, between Westport, OR and Cathlamet, WA
Longshot2
There is also a brand new Keller Ferry on the upper Columbia
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Regions/Eastern/KellerFerry/
Buzz
Thanks for info. on Keller ferry. Didn’t know anything about it.
Buzz
Educate me Spinsur. Surely the tide doesn’t affect the current in the Hood River. What causes the slack water? Without twin screws, which that scow surely doesn’t have, I agree holding it there probably impossible.
Steve
nice round "orb" above all the standing people – …. ( oh yeah- …. just dust … )
what’s that white looking round ish thing under the bridge – near the shore line and main concrete support ?
Kenn
GREAT photo, Old photos of this bridge before the 1882 bridge was removed show the same pole line between the two. The ferry is landed at what was the east end of the first RR bridge, normal water levels would never allow using this location. Easy to drive to this exact location.
Longshot2
"Educate me Spinsur. Surely the tide doesn’t affect the current in the Hood River. What causes the slack water? Without twin screws, which that scow surely doesn’t have, I agree holding it there probably impossible. "
Prior to the dams when the spring high water came through the area in early summer the water would have been high enough to back up into the Hood River quite a ways.
spinsur
Thanx Longshot, and high water in the Columbia still affects the HR current to the area shown in the photo, but not this dramatically. Columbia is only tidal to about Beacon Rock. Even Lewis and Clark determined that.
Buzz
Yeah, I can see that–particularly if the Hood River wasn’t flowing too high yet. Thanks.