Historic Hood River
Fire Department Competition
4-18-2014
Notes
It’s hard to believe this is our 800th image at HHR. Thanks to all of you for helping document our local history through your comments.
This Joe Young image brings us back to a regional fire volunteer competition hosted in Hood River. We’re looking east on May Street in front of the High School (now Middle School). The men in the foreground are competing with their hose handling skills. The wooden apparatus to the left was for ladder exercises.
There are additional images showing several teams engaged in competition, though the only one which can be clearly identified is the Auburn Washington Army Depot FD. While other images show the competition more clearly, I chose to share this one because it shows the context more clearly.
l.e.
There is something about boys playing with hoses.
And when they grow up to be men, the hoses just get bigger.
Thanks for 800 awesome images.
charlott
I am wondering if this might not have been during the war, as there are two men in the right side of the picture with military hats. Again we see the "little boys" as on lookers, wonder where the dog was?
Does anyone know what the two buildings were on the right of the photo? Bill Pattison, do you know?
Buzz
One of the buildings was the shop building in the 50’s and I think the other building was the music building. Not sure about music building.
Judy
I think it was the music building that burned down. It was located in the area where the parking lot is for the swimming pool is now.
RHD
I know one of the buildings was a shop. It burned down in the winter of 1969? I do believe. Jim would know for sure.
Jim Gray
Not sure about the Military Hats, if we are talking about the white hats one looks like the person is wearing earrings and the other could be a Fire Chief as they wore white hats as part of their dress uniforms. The cars look late Fortys to me, Band Building and wood shop burned down the winter of 68/69, it was a very cold time and a rough winter.
nels
Are those cars mostly late forties models?
Bill Seaton
You got them right, Buzz. In the 1950’s, the building to the East was the Music Building: the building to the West was the Shop.
Norma
Arthur, sorry but as a retired secretary I can’t help proof reading everything. DeparTment.
Arthur
Thanks, Norma– corrected. 800 posts, and I think that’s only the second spelling correction.
For those asking about dates, the Joe Young collection has a good number of images where I can get a date from a calendar or a license plate. They range from 1939 to the early 50’s, as I recall. Most are late 40s to early 50s.
Steve r
Back in the day …. Power lines & water … Go figure ….
charlott
I am referring to the guys with the hats about an inch to the right of the pole on the right hand side of the photo
Jim Gray
OK Charlott I see them now, could be Military or Service station attendants,, Judy the Pool did not have a parking lot back then, that was the Schools parking lot, parking for the Pool was on the curb of the street that went around the Pool now closed by the Fire Department, the buildings or building, I believe they were connected, were farther east were they extended the parking lot and now have an exit road