Historic Hood River
Hood River, 1956
2-8-2023
Notes
This fine 1956 Alan Winans view of Hood River from the Columbia River Highway loops was mixed in with the Camp Yallani slides. I’m not sure how it was related, but it offers a great view of the city in that era. You can see the old location of the Nichols Boatworks and Hood River Marina, before the 1962 Army Corps of Engineers project added to the waterfront. The river level freeway was new, with different exit ramps than we have today. The bumpout of land north of the freeway toward Wells Island was the high ground where our wastewater treatment plant is now. And of course, there are those fine pickup trucks!
Bill Seaton
This picture was taken in the year before I got my driver license. I drove up the Loops many times in the next 3 years while I was in high school,
Arlen
that is for sure the HR that I remember with the beautiful bridge over the Hood River. I believe Alan Winans was a Wy’East classmate of brother John W.
nels
Was the bumpout of land natural or manmade? And where did all the fill come from later?
Underwood Mt. seems to look about the same as today. Or does it?
ArthurB
The "bumpout" (I believe they called it "the groin") was man-made. Most of the later fill was dredged from the river, though rock was imported from elsewhere.
Jim Mason
just a few years later;https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=275
nels
That would be ol’ Doc Well’s farm on the island. The Dalles Dam was closed a year later, 1957. He was drafted as a war doctor so he left his wife out there.
But when the water was high she could not get to town for shopping. So he moved her into town into the apartment building just west of Mike’s Ice Cream shop. They adopted two boys from a patient who could not afford two babies. I’m not sure of the date for that. He had a house, barn, and tractor ou there. I failed to ask him what he was growing..
Cecelia
The road extending into the river from Nichols Boatworks was called the "mole" for reasons unknown to me. Often walked out or family drove out on it to see what was going on in the river. Didn’t Jaymar Lumber have a landing somewhere near Wells Island? Before Dr. Wells owned the island wasn’t it known as Morrison island? Dr. Wells’ sons were probably born in the late 1940’s; they were in school behind me by a few years!! Wonderful picture.
starboard
I think it’s an older term, used a lot in the golden age of sailing books I enjoy.
mole
4 of 6
noun (4)
1
: a massive work formed of masonry and large stones or earth laid in the sea as a pier or breakwater
2
: the harbor formed by a mole
ArthurB
"Mole", that’s what it was called. Thanks Cecilia. It could have also been called a groin: "a low wall or sturdy barrier built out into the sea from a beach to check erosion and drifting," but it wasn’t!
"Oregon Geographic Names" records "Wells Island" was attached to the mainland before Bonneville Dam. It was called Morrison Island when the dam was built, until Dr. Well purchased it in March 1940. It is now owned by the US Government.
Harold
Crazy to think that today’s entire Waterfront with all those huge buildings is built on fill, but then again I guess so is 1/6 of the city of Boston, according to Google..
Dee Holzman
In 1992 we purchased a house in ‘Winans East Addition’ just east of the Hood River in the area of this photograph, which was built in 1912. Such a beautiful part of town and interesting to see the changes over the years.