Historic Hood River
Field Furniture Fire
Notes
This photo from the Elaine Woolston collection shows the aftermath of a fire at Fields Furniture (now Second Wind Sports) at the corner of Second and State Streets. You can see the City Hall and gas station buildings in the background. The City Hall building also housed the fire station. If you’ll recall the building next to the old fire station on 4th Street also burned.
I’ve been told the locally manufactured brick used in the early brick buildings of Hood River was of an inferior quality. I don’t know if that contributed to this wall collapse, but it is a consideration for restoration of the first few brick buildings in the city.
The Oregon Inventory of Historic Properties gives some background on this building:
The building was constructed in 1905 by William L. Steward as a hardware store. Steward occupied the building until around 1925 when it was purchased by Kelly Bros.Hardware and Feed Store. In 1930 the west portion of the building was occupied by Tuckers Feed and Seed until around 1950. In 1932 the east portion was Doc Eby’s Food Store. He operated his business until W. H. McClain opened his furniture business in the building in 1941. McClain arrived in Hood River in 1910 from Ohio and was long time manager of Franz Furniture Store at 112 Oak Street. McClain retired in 1944 and sold the business to H. R. Field. The building is still used as a furniture store.
To update that, Van Metres Furniture closed about twelve years ago. It was replaced by an art gallery and wine bar, and now by Second Wind Sports. Also, the plaque on the building says the single story portion of the building was constructed in 1902, and the rest of the building in 1905.
If you’ve never explored the Oregon Inventory of Historic Properties it’s worth a visit. Select “Hood River”, then when you see an interesting property click on “form” and then within the form select “inventory form” to get all the good detail.
Tags: 2nd Street, City Hall, Fields Furniture, fire, gas station, snow, State Street, Woolston
Charlott
William Herbert McClain was a native of Hartford City, Indiana. With his wife, Grace (Fehl) he resided with his family on Belmont. Children: Charles, who lived two days, Kenneth, Ruth, Marcia and Marian who married a man by the name of Rak.
nels
Anymore info on the locally made bricks and building failure?
Roger Sheldrake
My grandfather W. H. Sheirbon worked for Field’s furniture in the late 40’s early 50’s
A question for Charlott: Are we talking about Kenneth & Ruth Guppy? Her maiden name was McClain. Had son Christopher, daughter Marcia.
Ruth wrote articles for the HR News for many years
Roger Sheldrake
My mistake! Ruth McClain married Russ Guppy and had Chris & Marcia
ArthurB
nels, I did research on the earliest brick manufacture in Hood River (pre-1905). I’ll have to dig it up. Stay tuned, and I’ll find a way to post it.
starboard
Dunno ’bout the brick, but I’d always heard the early motor and concrete was weak due to use of river sand. The corners and edges get too rounded from eons of wear being moved by the water vs. mason’s sand that is crushed and has hard edges that the cement in mortor or concrete can more easily stay attached.
Jeffrey W Bryant
A. T. Zeek was making brick in 1905. I’m pretty sure his clay came from near the intersection of Brookside Drive and Indian Creek Road.
L.E.
January 19, 1900 page 3 HR Glacier:
L.D. Boyed will start his brick yard in the spring just as soon as the weather will permit. He purchased the brick-making machinery of Robt. Rand and has leased ground of J.B. Rand three quarters of a mile east of town. He will burn a kiln of 400,000 bricks. If half the brick houses contemplated being erected in Hood River are built next summer, Mr Boyed says 400,000 bricks will be none too many. Mr. Boyed has had the necessary experience in brick making and as he has the right kind of clay, his bricks will be of the best quality.
Norma Jubitz Simpson
Russ and Ruth’s daughter was Macy.