Historic Hood River
Fir Mountain Road, 1912
5-4-2015
Notes
It sure is nice when a photo is well-described. Notes on the reverse of this one explain, “On the road going to town [from] our place. Taken August 1912.” Another hand added, “Lucius Clark, Fir Mountain Road (Clark Home in background.” I suspect Charlott can add a bit of family history as these are relatives of hers.
Kenn
I do not know this road but this is a great picture, so many interesting items. I hope/plan to investigate Fir Mountain Road nest time in town for WAAAM, another great museum in HR.
Charlott
Yes, this is my great-grandfather’s car. I am not certain which car this is. He had an Allis Chalmers Touring Car, also a Moon and a Humpmobile, but think the Humpmobile was much later. This might be the vehicle that was actually the first somewhat of a pickup in Hood River County. It was taken down the old "convict" highway to Zidell’s in Portland where it was cut down and made into a pickup, my father was a child and got to go on that adventure. One day down, one day there for the work and one day home. That is my grandmother, Nellie Clark Wells’ brother Bliss driving with her younger sister Gladys who was 15 years old when this photo was taken. Notice the driver was on the other side from the way we drive now. The house was built in 1904 when the family came down from Wasco. The barn built in 1910 (it has a new wonderful fresh paint job.) In the middle of the photo where it appears there are rocks, is where the construction of the apple house apparently is just starting.
The gate goes into a portion of the property along the creek where I was fortunate enough to grow up.
Charlott
This particular automobile made a number of trips to Long Beach, California for the winter. It was driven to Portland and put on the steamer with the family and off they went.
L.E.
I opened HHR this morning, and thought, "This is Charlott country".
Lots of interesting details in the photo and lots of interesting details in Charlott’s comments.
Thanks!
I grew up with the pole gates. You don’t see many of those in this area any more. You might think a pole gate is just a pole gate, but in a community you could recognize the builder of a gate. They would take on the artistic flare of their builder. My dad was by no means a carpenter and our gates were heavy and clunky. Our neighbor was a carpenter and I envied them their beautiful, swinging pole gate.
Dale Nicol
The car looks more like a Reo …Maybe one of the WAAAM car "old timers" can ID the vehicle.
Charlott
As to the gate, I imagine my own grandfather built that for his father-in-law, as he was the carpenter one of the family. Also note there is no Wells Drive taking off.
Kenn
Very eager to see this location, I assume the house and barn remain and the road dip and curve should be easy to locate.. Wonder if the pole line is in the same location.
Jerry
Charlott, do you have an approximate street address number? I’d like to take a "drive" using Google map street view along here. I’ve looked at part of the road, along the south part of the drive, and the views are spectacular.
Charlott
No the house tragically burned down in February 1969 or 1970. Would have to look up the actual date. That apple house was burned down prior.
The gate would be located at 2876 Fir Mountain Road.