Historic Hood River
First Train to Parkdale
Notes
As long as we’re looking at Parkdale photos, this is a classic which has been reproduced many times.
The image is labelled “First Train to Parkdale, 1908.” I suspect it is a photo of a photo so the resolution isn’t great, but it’s still a nice view of an historic occasion. There is even the classic photographer under the hood snapping a picture from the porch of the McIsaac Store. I’ve yet to see the photo he took, but maybe it will show up some day. But not tomorrow, because we’re moving on from Parkdale.
Remember when I said I never trust the writing on photos? There is good reason for skepticism here. The Mt. Hood Railroad began regular service from Dee to Parkdale in 1910, according to this article in The Hood River Glacier. Service to from Hood River to Dee had started several years earlier, in 1906. They constructed the rail extension toward Parkdale through 1909 and early 1910, according to other newspaper accounts. Later that summer they constructed the depot. I suspect this photo is actually from the May 1910 inauguration of service, though I suppose it could be from some other important event at Parkdale. We know they had a big July 4th celebration at Parkdale in 1910 to show off the new rail access, and I’ll bet it looked very much like this.
charlott
Big celebration in the little "wyck" of Parkdale. (Wyck is the Dutch for village) I noticed immediately the flags put out to honor the day. Would it not have been fun to have ridden that train up there, as most certainly would have had a much different primitive view.
I am thinking since they are all standing grouped there must have been some sort of little program to celebrate the occasion. Wonder how many of our ancestors might be in the group?
It is nice to get various views of something. Sort of puts all the puzzle pieces in a good context.
L.E.
This photo probably wouldn’t mean much to the casual observer, but since we have been through a series of Parkdale/railroad photos, I find it fascinating. Kind of puts the passengers, train, store, and water tower with flume (or whaterever you call it) in perspective.
I doubt if it is 4th of July. It looks pretty bleak, cold and no leaves on the tree.
I wonder what the man on the back deck is doing?
Since we are in the area of Parkdale in view of the Mountain, might mention that there is a Sense of Place lecture about the Crag Rats, tomorrow night Dec. 21) at Center for the Arts. The Sense of Place people are planning on doing a podcast about the program and I hope they interview some of you that post here at HHR. There is lots of good local knowledge here.
spinsur
Wonder if there’s any "first" significance to the car being labeled Union Pacific?
Longshot
The area looks to have been logged fairly recently. Wonder how they transported the logs and lumber down the valley in the days prior to the railroad?
L.E.
I was wondering where the lumber for the store came from. Longshot’s comment about recently logged is interesting. I don’t know if the trees are just out of view, but yesterday’s photo shows lots of trees. Today’s photo shows few trees and no other buildings.
On the Parkdale portion of a Mt Hood RR advertisement page, it says… "the end of the line is Clear Creek Station at the intersection of Clear Creek Road and Baseline Drive……Mount Hood Railroad came to this upper valley town in 1910 to bring lumber used to construct the original McIsaac’s Store…."
Would that be from the Dee Mill? Or was the railroad constructed to get lumber from this area TO the Dee Mill?
I bet the man standing on that back deck is admiring the mountain.
Longshot
The train may have been running for some time before the line was officially opened for business. It could have brought in supplies like lumber for the store while the track was still being ballasted and otherwise readied for use.
OrMtnMaid
Oh, I bet he is texting on his cell phone!!!!! Merry Christmas all.