Historic Hood River
Go Check the Fuse Box
Notes
This is a Joe Young image of a member of the Hood River Fire Department inspecting a fuse box at a Hood River residence. It probably dates from the later 1940s.
There are so many wonderfully dated elements to this image: the presence of screw in fuses, glass coke bottles, dad’s suspenders– and is that a carrier for milk bottles below the table? Did I miss anything?
While the advent of electricity greatly reduced the number of house fires from gas lights, open fires and candles (don’t forget what happened to Shushula!), it took many decades for electrical systems to become as safe as they are today. A “modern” fuse box like this was probably a major safety upgrade for this house. As any building inspector will tell you, every part of modern building and electrical code came from some tragic event.
L. E.
The classic wooden door with a window. It didn’t do much to keep out the cold.
JKG
I also can appreciate that this room was constructed on to the outside of an existing wall, a common theme as people could afford to add on over the years or technology (plumbing) allowed them to make additional improvements.
How about that giant fuse and master Frankenstien switch? Think the rubber glove was to protect against zippy fuses?
Pat A
On Monday my wife and I visited the home site where she grew up. It was removed 30 years ago after failing this type of inspection by the fire department.
We also owned a 1916 house in Dufur wit the power meter on the porch just like this.