Historic Hood River
Pine Grove?
9-23-2019
Notes
I thought this was just another random Alva Day view of a local road until I zoomed in a bit and saw the gas pumps. After staring at the sign for a while I was able to figure out it says “Pooley Packing House” with an arrow pointing to the left. Then I adjusted the exposure and Mt. Adams appeared out of the haze.
I’m pretty sure this is the corner of Highway 35 and Van Horn Drive, looking north. Does anyone know if “The Boys” gas station dates back to 1946?
Charlott
The “Boy's” was built, owned and operated by Clare Bickford, prior to being purchased by my cousins, Jimmy Wells and Wayne Miller. I can't tell you exactly when they bought it, but prior to that they had a store in the front of the Pine Grove Grange where the fruit thing (can't think of the name right off hand) was. Then they bought out Bickford. Once they had the store from Bickford they closed out the one up Van Horn. Jimmy had served during WWII, so it was after he returned they started their initial store. Jimmy died of leukemia in 1955, I think it was and Wayne didn't run the store too long afterwards until it was sold to Ed and Lois Neufeldt. I worked the summer between my junior and senior year in high school for Ed and Lois as they opened a “Dairy Queen” type area and I ran that.
Pooley's plant was located just on the eastern side of the railroad tracks there where Mason Road takes off Van Horn to the north, across from the old A.G.A. plant, now The Fruit Company in the front facing Van Horn.
Charlott
I need to correct this. Pooley's packing house was located on the west side of highway 35 down towards the river. Their cold storage was up by the railroad tracks and I don't know if they were the sole user of it, or it was always Duckwall-Polley.
nels
Thanks again to you Charlotte, for making an old picture come to life by telling us about the people in them.
Jeffrey W Bryant
Grandma Susie Wells lived up the street from “The Boys” store. In the 1960's she would give us 7 cents so we could buy a frozen treat.
L. E.
I wish Mt Adams had that much snow on it now.
Pretty recognizable stretch of road. Looks like the fir trees moved to the other side of the road.
Kyle
I'm proud of myself – I knew right away where this was. Small victories…
Jack Sheppard
Ted Pooley, Pooley Fruit, packed apples and pears for several years down that road to the west, and built the cold storage on the tracks east of this spot probably in the 60's. I hauled to both sites in the 60's and 70's. Near the end of that era, Mr. Pooley took on Mr. M. Walton of Parkdale. Duckwall Bros. acquired the properties and operated it as Duckwall-Pooley Fruit until Mr. Pooley and Mr. Walton were both out of it, at which time it fully joined the entity of Duckwall Co.
This was a busy corner on Hwy 35 during harvest season since Apple Grower's Assn. VanHorn plant also was off to the east by the tracks. It also was the route to Lage Orchards, Wells Orchards and Webster's Orchards packing plants.
Barb Parkison
I lived in Pine Grove in the 1960 to 1965 we lived in the wooden one room cabins that were by the grange hall. There was a cement wash house with restrooms no running water just a faucet outside the cabins. Also lived in the wooden cabins owned by Ross Hukari went to school with Mark and Camille . Bought penny candy at Boys MArket in Pine Grove my dad worked at AGA large building across from the grange hall. Remember the blossom festival dinners there .Great place to grow up got free apples and pears Barb Parkison.
Albert Duddles
I always thought that the Bickford store was at the corner of Paash and Hwy 35