Historic Hood River
Road Trip
11-3-2016
Notes
Ruth Shafer (left) and her friend Mary Rogers are enjoying an outing on the Columbia River Highway in 1921. I believe this is Crown Point.[Ed. note: It’s actually Rowena Crest, see comments] It’s fun to see this railing with fresh mortar.
Category: default
Tags: 1920s, Columbia River Highway, Rogers Mary, Rowena, Rowena Crest, Shafer Ruth
Tags: 1920s, Columbia River Highway, Rogers Mary, Rowena, Rowena Crest, Shafer Ruth
L.E.
It appears that they are working on the Cape Horn Highway on the Washington side, but I don’t think that was started until the late 1920’s.
Beautiful rock work.
Last month I took a Spirit of Portland boat trip down the Willamette. The guide pointed out the rock bridge supports that were crafted by Germans, the same rock and craftsmen that were used on Cascade Locks.
I wonder if Italians and Germans were similar or different in their rock work. Why were Italians brought in to do the rock work on the Columbia River Highway, if the Germans were already here?
Arthur
I think Ruth Shafer was only in Hood River for 2 years,so the date of 1921 is probably correct.
Structural masonry like bridges and ornamental masonry like railings were different crafts. I suspect there was plenty of work for both crews with this project.
nels
I hope all you HHR followers are also hooked in to the HR News’ regular column of "Yesteryears".
Jill Stanford
Following the rock work on the CGHiway many of the Italians came to Central Oregon and worked on the dam for the Tumalo Reservoir. A few went to the Coast and did the fireplaces in the cottages being built during the ’20s. We had one in our Cottage at Gearhart. Apparently, they were master rock builders.
Beth
Hmmm- I looked at this and thought Rowena Crest"¦.
Longshot
Definitely Rowena Crest
L.E.
Ahhhh. Maybe that is why I can’t make that stupid Washington hillside make any sense.
Arthur
Good catch Beth! In 1921 the Rowena Crest mortar probably wasn’t even fully cured. No wonder it looks so fresh. The paving between HR and the Dalles happened between 1920 and 1922.
Kyle
Strange – I went to pics I took just last month of Rowena Crest, and the railings there now are different. One section is wood-and-wire, the other is stone but without these arched cutouts… just solid stone. Was the modern wood section formerly this arched stone?
Arthur
Excellent question Kyle. Google street view shows what you say very clearly, but also verifies we are at the right spot– almost. I think this picture was taken alongside the highway just slightly down from the Rowena Crest viewpoint. The highway is lined with this arched stonework, and I’ll bet we can find this exact section if you’re willing to risk the traffic.
Kyle
The arches-and-stone motif was mimicked nicely on the car-free section between HR and Mosier, in several places. They look just like this, minus the fashonably dressed 20’s ladies.
Jeffrey W Bryant
Mark A. Mayer gave lands for the parksite.
https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn97071110/1923-12-27/ed-1/seq-1/