Historic Hood River
Parade of Americans of Foreign Birth
7-4-2012
Notes
We’re back on July 4th 1916 again with Arline Moore. Here she takes us to the “Parade of Americans of Foreign Birth.” She identifies the building in the background as Clarence Gilbert’s Implement Company at 4th and Cascade. She also identified the blacksmith shop around the corner, but unfortunately the page is damaged so I can only make out “Sno…”
l.e.
So, what building is this now?
I wonder if other cultures participated. Swedish, German, English, etc.
Arthur
My guess is this is the location of the Elks Building.
l.e.
I see in today’s (July 4) Seattle Times, that 525 people became U.S. citizens.
Immigrants from 82 countries took the Oath of Allegiance.
There were 4,200 nationwide.
Arthur
I can verify the building around the corner is the W.G. Snow Blacksmith and Wagonmaker shop on 4th Street, where Double Mountain Brewery is currently located.
Homer Yasui
Our family has another view of this parade, heading west on Oak Street & Third. In this view, my father, Masuo Yasui, seems to be acting as a quasi-drum major (dressed in a business suit, with a rattle in his hand). We also have a photo of maybe 20 costumed participants of this group, sitting on the ground, at the old courthouse grounds (Ithink).
Our family legend has it that this group sang "Auld Lang Syne" in Japanese while marching, because it was the only Western tune that they knew.