Historic Hood River
Not in My Backyard!
Notes
City archives have many interesting letters showing things haven’t changed as much as we think. This one is the earliest I’ve seen expressing the “Not in My Backyard!” (NIMBY) sentiment, in the literal sense. Since his handwriting is a little hard to follow, I’ve transcribed the letter as written.
Hood river, ore apr 17th 1911
to the hon. mayor and counsel of hood river. sirs. i enter a protest against the horse hospital so called being located in our neighborhood as a detriment to health and beauty of our part of the town. It is a nuisance as they bring all crippled and diseased stock to it. and all classes of people. and all kinds of talk that isnt nice to hear. one horse has all ready been shot and hauled away. we ask you to investigate this charge and see if you would like it in your front or back yard. yours as ever, W.H. Peugh Ps am not able to appear.
Unfortunately we don’t know where Mr. Peugh lived. I believe Hood River started developing zoning code in the modern sense in the 1950s.
Longshot
As far as I know zoning goes back to the earliest days of settlement in this country. I have read references to zoning in the histories of many early east coast developments. For one town in particular which was founded shortly after the American Revolution the first act of the town council on its formation was to zone a portion of the water front for nude bathing.
LMH
In the 1910 census a 63 year W. H. Peugh with his wife Eliga and daughter Nettie. lived at 422 12th St. No occupation was listed other than "own income" The Glacier reported on 12/8/1910 Mr. Peugh and his family departed HR for warmer weather in southern California returning in mid March 1911 and continued this practice for a number of years.
Arthur
I believe Hood River adopted its first zoning map circa 1954. I’ll post it one of these days. I haven’t seen any systematic program for regulating use by area in our city ordinances before that date.
The address LMH found was at the NW corner of Eugene and 12th, near St. Marks. It looks like the house is still there. The Sanborn map just shows residential dwellings. I’m not sure where the "Horse Hospital" was operating.
LMH
BREAKING NEWS…….BREAKING NEWS
The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, April 27, 1911, Image 1
JACKSON PAYS FINE AND LEAVES TOWN
Dr. E. E. Jackson, whose horse hospital at the corner of May and Twelfth street has been under fire from the citizens of that community and which was declared a nuisance by the health committee of the city council, was arrested last week on the complaint of Hugh Moore, on the charge of practicing as veterinary surgeon without a license. He gave bond for the sum of $200 to appear before Justice Buck. At his trial Tuesday evening he plead guilty and was fined $50. It is understood that Jackson has left town.
He at one time had a license for the practice of his profession in this state. However, it expired while he was located at The Dalles and the state board of veterinary surgeons refused to grant him another.
L.E.
I chuckled when I read this I had no idea "not in my backyard" was prevalent 100 years ago. One difference from today,….. we probably wouldn’t get away with writing… "all classes of people".
Good find LMH.
Arthur, between starting this site and putting the Glacier online, you have really opened up the history for this area. I will have to drive by this house and try to picture the goings on of the horse hospital.
Arthur
Gold star for research, LMH.
The location of 12th and May put the "horse hospital" right next to the city’s 350,000 gallon reservoir. The most likely corner is where the orthopedic surgery and sports medicine clinic is today. A little irony?
It looks like Mr. Peugh got satisfaction less than two weeks after writing this letter.