Historic Hood River
Glacier Editors Tour Glacier
Notes
Here we see our old friend Samuel Blythe, editor of the Hood River Glacier in the 1890s, climbing Mt. Hood with Joe Thomison, editor of The Glacier in the 1920s. Blythe is reported to be 81 in this image, which would place this photo in 1923. I believe they were participating in the American Legion climb. The two women are not identified.
I’m sharing this image today because on Friday the Library of Congress added a large new batch of issues of The Glacier and the Hood River Sun to their “Chronicling America” website. Over a year ago we found these issues at our library and museum. They had escaped microfilming in the 1960s. Because they weren’t on the microfilm, they escaped later efforts to convert the microfilm to digital archives. I scanned this cache of 274 issues of The Glacier from 1889-1899, as well as the only 11 known issues of the Hood River Sun (1889-1900) on our flatbed scanner. They provide critical primary source material for anyone researching Hood River in the 1890s.
These editions will soon be added to the Oregon Digital Newspaper project’s website. We’re working with the Hood River County library to get even more local newspapers online. On our wishlist includes issues of The Glacier from 1923-1933, the Hood River News up to 1922, the Bonneville Dam Chronicle from the 1930s, and the Whistlepunk from the 1960s. I’ll let you know as more of our history is available for your online perusal.
In the meantime, have fun learning all about the 1890s in these newly released issues. I’ll warn you that as with most newspapers from the era, the OCR technology used to make these scanned images searchable is full of errors, so search for very short pieces of text. Click on the “text” version of any of the pages to see what I mean.
Tags: 1920s, Blythe, Hood River Glacier, mountain climbing, Mt Hood, newspaper, Thomison
Charlott
Where ever they are they aren’t above timberlineyet.
Kenn
Is that the Cook-Underwood road on the hill in the background?
Kenn
Wonder how serious they were with no packs and Thomison wearing a tie and jacket.
L.E.
Makes me think of Heidi or The Sound of Music.
Those digital HR newspapers provide more than a primary source material for Hood River research. I use them all of the time for the "North Bank".
L.E.
A brief history of Joe Thomison’s life.
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1243&dat=19540722&id=IFJYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=c_cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3288,3931645&hl=en
Joe Thomison married Rebecca Ann Lucas in 1913. She passed away in Hood River in 1921 during childbirth leaving behind, Joe and five children. Joe remarried in 1933.
LMH
Arthur, thanks for letting us know about the new issues being available at "Chronicling America". I’m glad to see that the "Glacier" gap in the mid 1890’s is being filled.
One day, hopefully, we’ll get to see some the remaining newspaper publications available for our viewing. As I remember the "Whistlepunk" ruffled a few feathers in placid old Hood River.
Buzz
LMH. Whistlepunk is the name of a job in the old logging indusry. I left Hood River in early 60’s and never heard of that publication. Would be interested in any information anyone has about that old newspaper. Thanks.
LMH
Buzz, the mid 1960’s newspaper "Whistlepunk" was aptly named has its strategy was to capture attention by aggressive reporting (noise). I think a fella by the name of Hall started the paper. I don’t remember any of the specifics of the various offenses as it has been 50 years ago now. I think the publication lasted 2-3 years, maybe longer. I think Mr. Hall was somehow involved with the HR News at one time.
Arthur
Whistlepunk is available on microfilm at the library. I haven’t read any issues myself but now LMH has piqued my curiosity.
Arthur
I don’t know if they reached the summit but we do have this picture:
https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=307
which shows they made it above the treeline.
Jeffrey Bryant
I’m glad that the missing issues will soon be on-line, and thanks for the advance copies.
I have a photo from the front page of the July 29, 1965 Whistlepunk showing me (age 8) and my brother (age 10) at our peach stand on Tucker Road. I’m still selling produce, but now it is garlic and a few apples.
Bob C. Hall is listed as the publisher.
Arlen Sheldrake
I can still hear the photographer….WHAT were you doing with your damn hand!!!!!! this was not the good old days of photography…..I still remember my reluctance in the 1950s to take a picture because of the cost and the week or two weeks awaiting the mail delivery of your processed photographs to know whether or not you got a good shot (or a hand was in the face……)
And again, thanks Arthur for your continuing successes in preserving our history!!
Longshot
The photo probably looks down on where Laurance Lake is today and the road angling up the hill is today partially washed out and pretty overgrown.
longshot
I am going to take that back. I think the picture looks to the east where the narrows of the Hood River is just above the confluence with Polallie Creek. The road being nothing but a scratch on the photo. Those would then be Mill Creek Buttes in the background.
L.E.
I have been reviewing some biographies about Samuel Blythe and am once again in awe of him.
I think this photo of him climbing Mt Hood when he is over 80 years old, exemplifies how blessed the community of Hood River was, to have such a character.
James Holloway
Longshot, I kind of agree, likely Pollalie Creek drainage, but maybe the Elliot Creek drainage…..,which would be looking north toward Laurance Lake…/?
Susan Baldwin
Bob Hall’s daughter Tomi Sue and I were classmates – they lived in a house off the north end of Highline Drive. I believe Tomi Sue and her husband publish the McCall, Idaho newspaper.