Historic Hood River
July 4th, 1905
Notes
Mrs. Bert Stranahan and Miss Cora Copple parading down State Street on the 4th of July in 1905. The flags are out and the crowd is dressed as well as these women.
According to account in The Hood River Glacier the day started with the boom of a cannon at daybreak, followed by a parade. They noted S.E. Bartmess’ mule Maud was a popular attraction as well as floats by Frank Cram and by Luckey and Mullen blacksmiths. There was public speaking in the Opera House (we had an opera house?), music, a recitation of the Declaration of Independence, followed in the afternoon by a baseball game at Columbia Park (in the Heights). James DeBorde was in charge of the evening fireworks, viewed from in front of the Mt.Hood Hotel. The Hood River Brass Band played. There was program printed by E. L. Bradley in 2 colors describing the days events, which apparently ended with strains of “Home, Sweet Home.”
Buck Parker
I once saw something that suggested there was an opera house on the corner of State and Fourth, behind the Paris Fair, but I don’t know that that’s true. It seems like Hood River would have been large enough to have one, but you’d think there’d be more references to it.
ArthurB
My guesses for the Opera House were either the Pythian Hall at 4th and State or the Columbia Hall at Oak and First (now Mt. Hood Hotel building).
The earliest references I can find to the Opera House are from March 1903, and the latest in March 1916. It is called the "Monroe Opera House" in later references.
nels
WHAT? What happened to that photo with a horse riding on a float? One of my
favorites. How many people have ever seen a horse on a flat bed wagon, much
less imagine such a thing. Just waiting for that horse to panic and jump.