Historic Hood River
Pest House
Notes
Maybe not the most cheerful way to start a week, but it is tax day.
The earliest actions of the City of Hood River were to deal with issues of contagious disease. Early city council actions specified placing colored flags on your lawn to indicate someone inside was ill with smallpox, cholera, or other serious diseases. Sometime circa 1900 the city established a pest house where people could be taken to be quarantined to avoid spreading illness. This letter gives some insight into the politics of early 20th century Hood River.
We know the pest house was “west of town” but the exact location is not clear. The newspaper reported several locations under consideration at various point in history, but it’s not clear to me which site is referred to in this letter. I did learn that while at the pest house you might have been cared for “by a man known as ‘Frenchie'”.
Marla
There you go…."the prominent people of Portland." Would be interesting to know exactly who they were.
At the same time if it was as bad as the letter indicates maybe it was time to dispose of it.
L.E.
Interesting.
Mrs. Munra would be Grandma Munra, well known for her railroad eating establishments. She cooked for a short time at the Hood River Country Club.
https://oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/munra_katherine_sterrett_grandma_munra_1830_1923_/#.XLSlzS_MxuU
In 1904, was the Country Club located, where it is today, or was this something different?
Do you know who the signature is?
We have lost our fear of contagious diseases, but in 1904, small pox, tuberculosis, etc would have been a fear.
There used to be places called the County Poor Farm, for people who had no place to go, but I don’t know that you would take the sick and dying there.
L.E.
I suppose the signature could be the president J.F. Batchelder, listed at the top of the page.
The August 27, 1903 HR Glacier, page 5:
J.F. Batchelder was up from Portland this week looking after his interests in Riverview Park…..the Country Club cottage is not yet completed…..The club house will be made a resort for the members at any and all times, the purpose being to make it a place where its members can spend their vacation at all seasons of the year….Mr. Batchelder says it is the intention to build the $20,000 Inn this fall. When completed the club house will be presided over by Grandma Munra….."
Wherever Riverview Park was located, one has to wonder if the "pests" were traveling east or west?
nels
Any guesses where that structure might of been?
L.E.
Arthur probably already knew this.
Riverside Park and Idlewilde Addition which included Country Club Cottage Cottage and Inn was one of the first developments in HR.
Advertised in 1903 as having a fine view, pure spring water, graded streets and the first sewerage system.
The historical Colby House on 13th and Columbus was one of the first houses built in the division.
Still doesn’t answer where the pest house was located. I assume somewhere out west of there.
nels
Arthur, what is the date of the earliest map of HR that has buildings plotted?
L.E.
Is it possible the "hospital" was Dr. Adams’ earlier medical facility at Paradise Farms?
https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=728
Country Club Inn burned in June of 1911.