Historic Hood River
Plowman
12-2-2014
Notes
We don’t know where this was taken, but it was part of a collection of negatives from Hood River. The detail of the horses, tack and plow are wonderfully clear.
The History Museum of Hood River County
Bringing the Rich History of Hood River County to Life
Buzz
Historical photos of horses invariably make them appear to be healthy and well cared for. Not so true today. Must not be enough room in the barn/garage for everything.
l.e.
I grew up with those plows hiding in the briar bushes, no longer being used.
My dad said he started smoking because of the boredom of walking back and forth behind a horse.
Many of the HR orchards and farms must have started this way.
In just one generation, farming and logging made huge changes. Not only did the plows sit in the briar bushes, but a shed was filled with harnesses that no longer came off the wall.
Looking at those one day, I told my dad I would have no idea how to harness a horse. His reply was that he could do it blind folded.
Longshot
Braking new ground through previously forested area much have been an incredibly tough job. One technique was to let the stumps dry and then burn as much of them as possible out, this technique led to the start of a lot of conflagrations probably including the notorious Yacolt Burns. while another was to just hand plant between the stumps for years until the stumps rotted. I am sure that settlers from the east were perplexed though that the stumps of western conifers wouldn’t rot away in a few years as per many of the east coast species.
Charlott
When I was small my Grandpa had his last team. They were his babies and even in old age they wanted to work. He had a log down in the pasture. He would harness them up take them down there and he would get on the log and around and around they would go. You could see by the way they were they were in their element.
l.e.
If you could read the brand on the left front leg of the horse you might be able to find out some information.
Arthur
I can’t find a brand on the horse, but that object on its haunch is a butterfly.
ralph
The brand is located at the top of the leg just below the leather. It looks like a pair of sizzors. Looks kinda like this >8
l.e.
Yep, that’s what it looks like Ralph. Pretty creative.
In the Hood River Co. Records Inventory, Hood River Co. does have on file:….
"Marks and Brands Records
1919-1935
Series documents the registration of marks and brands by livestock owners and logging interests in order to clearly establish ownership. Records include registers and certificates. Information includes owner’s name and address; diagram of animal showing location and style of mark and brand; written description of mark and brand; and filing date. Types of livestock registered include horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry. Log brands are also documented.
Records at the Hood River County Business Admin. (Dean) Bldg., County Archives:
Historical [Sheep in This County for Pasture-Report of Sheep and Cattle Grazed-includes marks and brands information], 1919-1935"
Notice that log brands are also available.
For anyone that might be interested in brands, I found this online book
"The universal stock register of eastern Oregon brands 1890"
Even though it is Eastern Oregon, there are some familiar names to HR.
https://openlibrary.org/works/OL16786862W/The_universal_stock_register_of_eastern_Oregon_brands
Arthur
Good eye Ralph. For those of you with normal eyes, here’s a closeup of the brand. https://www.flickr.com/photos/33624788@N05/15317248294/