Historic Hood River
Koberg Question Answered
6-7-2019
Notes
This photo offers some evidence to answer the question, “Did the Bonneville Dam kill Koberg Beach?” This is 1940, and kids are still learning to swim. I’ve heard various opinions on Koberg’s demise: raising water levels changed currents and removed sand, it never recovered from the wartime interruption, people’s interests changed. While the low water levels definitely increased, we know there was still beachfront at Koberg and the pavilion persisted many years past the dam. The river level highway in the 1950s took away much of the Koberg land, including the parking areas.
Charlott
When I was small there still was a beach there The old pavillion was there for awhile and then it was gone. I think that I-84 may have come into play when it came to the demise of Koberg Beach. Here a few years ago my daughter had a water ski and she stopped at Koberg's to pick me up. She had to come right into the sand, as that drops right off now. I don't know anything about water currents, but I would think that the dam would have changed those and there was that horrible undertow in the late '40s, as watched it take a lovely young girl one day while family was there. My mother was adamant that I was NOT to go into the water at Koberg's when I was a teen ager. I did go down, but just to play around on the beach with friends. NEVER into that river there.
Jim Gray
Our Family use to go there in the early fifties, still had a beach, many boaters would land there. I would think the buildout of the Port/Marina on the Washington side pushed the current towards the Oregon side.
L.E.
Interesting story Charlott!
Christie
We went very frequently in the 60s and early 70s
Melody Shellman
And of course the BINGEN sign on the hill across the river.
Norma
There was still a good beach there in the 60s as I would take my daughter there when we came “home” on vacation.
Patti
My daughter took a picture of me sitting on a cement foundation near the parking lot in the 1980’s….
Patti
My best friend, Jackie Morgan Flood (deceased), parents were
employed at Koberg Resort.
Andrew B
What happened to the Bingen sign? Is it just over grown with dreaded poison oak?