Historic Hood River
Mt. Hood Railroad Bridge
4-20-2015
Notes
Here’s the Mt. Hood Railroad bridge over the Hood River. How narrow a date range can you suggest for this image?
While this area is a little more developed today, it’s still nice to have this “wild” spot so close to downtown.
Kenn
A wood bridge and no power house, great photo.
L.E.
There was a time when it probably looked different from this scene.
Early Indian photographer, Edward Curtis, wrote in his book, "…In the youth of Tamlaitk, who was born about 1825, the houses of the Indians, placed closely together, extended from Hood river to Indian creek, and many families, not finding room on the level now occupied by the town of Hood river, built their homes on the bench above….."
Their homes were built of wooden planks.
Longshot
How many bridges have stood at this point over the years?
Melody Shellman
Given the style (dreamy focus, leaves in the foreground) I’d say no later than 1910. Just an uneducated guess.
Kenn
The original was a wood through truss as in the photo. It was replaced by the existing steel through truss and probably has a date on it.
Kenn
Possibly a road cut in the top left of the photo.
Arthur
I believe the bridge has the date "1906" on it. I didn’t realize there was an earlier bridge, but I think the railroad started service in 1905. Did that bridge really just last 1 year?