Historic Hood River
History History
Notes
For all the time we’ve spent talking about Hood River’s history, we haven’t spent much time talking about the people who have worked to preserve it or how our museum came to be. This image fills in a missing chapter.
In the 1910s the Hood River Pioneer Association formed, but I was never clear what happened to them or how our current county museum was created. The caption to this image, which was published in The Hood River News, explains the missing gap.
Local personalities responsible for the formation of the Hood River County Historical society and the securing of a museum in the courthouse at Hood River attended the open house Monday night. They are, left to right: E.E. Lage, past president; Mrs. Max Moore, secretary, Mrs. Nora Rumbaugh, life member of the society and former worker in the state group; Joe Horn, board member; and Mace Baldwin, member. Lage, Mrs. Moore, Mrs. Rumbaugh and Horn have been members of local committees working toward the organization of the society and founding the museum during the past 20 years. Lage, Mrs. Moore and Horn were original members of the Pioneer association. Columbia Photo Supply photo.
Other material indicates the society was founded in 1949 with Percy Bucklin as its first president. The museum and the artifacts were owned by the county and housed in the county courthouse (Butler Bank Building) at this time. At another time it was located in the old Yasui store building behind the courthouse before moving down to its current location at the Hood River waterfront.
A few years ago the Hood River Heritage Council was formed to operate the museum and preserve the collection, though the building and the artifacts are still property of the county.
Tags: Bucklin, Hood River Pioneer Society, Horn_Joe, Lage, Moore, museum
Kalley
I wonder what the history is of the two chairs and are they still at the museum.
Arlen L Sheldrake
and I remember the museum being located in the then new county courthouse
jnails
I think Mrs. Moore was the lady who supported the return of the Japanese to the valley. But some stores
were not friendly to them so she shopped
and delivered items back to them. As was the Methodist minister whose name I can not remember.
He was removed and transferred at the request of his congregation, but he was later given a national award and HR became famous for it’s attitude toward it’s
returning citizens.
Jeffrey Bryant
I just watched Cemetery Tales, which included a segment on Arlene Winchell Moore and Rev. Sherman Burgoyne (not sure of the spelling). I would like to know who else was featured on earlier Cemetery Tales at Idlewilde Cemetery. Were any of them recorded?
Jeffrey Bryant
When the Hood River Pioneer Association was started, I think your family had to have arrived before the railroad to be a member. The Jerome Wells family came around 1891 and was not included.
Jeffrey Bryant
Arline Winchell’s grandfather was in Hood River by 1860, and her father, Virgil Winchell, was born in the Valley in 1865. Hans Lage came to the Valley in 1865. Stephen Baldwin came to the Valley in 1864.
Arthur Babitz
Jeffrey, I don’t believe Cemetery Tales were recorded prior to the format change required during the pandemic. Now it is a video event which makes it more permanent. FYI we have a recording of Arline Moore giving a history lecture in this era, but we don’t get have funding to have it transcribed from wire recording to a more modern format.