Historic Hood River
Ladder Gymnastics
2-5-2025
Notes
This apple harvest image is from a Hood River Commercial Club album from the 1910s, produced by Benjamin Gifford. It’s impressive how many filled lugs are under each tree, ready for a trip to the packing plant for processing.
We’ve seen enough images with people rigging ladders like this that I’m starting to believe they’re not just showing off for the cameras.
L. E.
This photo makes me think of a lady from my community, who back in the 1940’s was working in an orchard picking apples, when she fell from the ladder and broke her ankle. She died a week later from tetanus, (lockjaw)). I suppose the broken bone was exposed to the dirt.
The gentleman up on the ladder does not look very old.
nels
How does the harvest per tree (based on # of boxes) compare to current harvest quantity?