Historic Hood River
Runaway Logs
7-16-2012
Notes
These homeowners awoke to a surprise on this 1946 morning. The house appears to have survived this trial with minimal damage, though it’s gone now. Can you identify the location? There is a clue here which should get you within a block or so. The date is July 23, 1946, in case you want to cheat by checking the newspaper.
Charlott
The only thing I see is what I would think might be a light pole on the football field of the old Hood River High School.
I am saying this is in the vicinity of the corner of May St. where it intersects with the street going down past the hospital.
Possibly the truck had trouble making that corner….
Ellen Dittebrandt
Looks to me like Hazel Street right across the street from the park, looking north. There is a lot now with a building more north.
Rawhyde
I’d say that’s the Middle School and thus this would be the northwest corner of 13th and May
Ellen Dittebrandt
Whoops I might be wrong it also could be on May street right across from May Street School. It also looks like it could be right next to Jackman Park there looks to be some kind of drainage to the right of the place Could have been more street where parking lot of tennis courts are now, or it could be all the up on Taylor.
Arthur
Yes, right near the chimney you can see a feature that is only on the east facade of the HR Middle School. That makes this 13th Street, just north (downhill) of May Street. This is still a dangerous intersection which is difficult for truck traffic.
Arlen Sheldrake
Wonder if his water cooled brakes failed or ran out of cooling water….
DeAnna
The Garage looks like one still standing on Sherman…just across from 7th street….and possibly the Asbury Church on State St in the background? The Semi missed the stop at 7th st, or didn’t make the turn? Actually…if it’s the garage I’m thinking of…it just collapsed during the winter storm we had this last winter!
Charlott
I remember vividly this garage at the corner of 13th and May Street right across from the hospital. That is the old high school with the football light in the back ground.
earle minor
I remember this log spill. I was six years old. It occurred at the top of 13th street in the yard at the home of Darrell Nichols and his wife. The house is located at the top of the hill on the west side of 13th street, across the street from the Hood River Hospital on the east side. You can see the outline of the original Hood River High School in the background.. My grand father, Jack Couchman, was the custodian of the hospital and also lived a few houses north of the Nichols residence at 602 13th street. The log trucks had to make a tight turn to go down 13th so they could get on Highway 30 at the bottom of 13th where Praters gas station (later to become a motel after I 84 was constructed) is located. All of the log trucks took this route. They were a constant sight in the days of logging in Hood River; traveling both ways. Some drivers took the curve down the hill at too rapid of a pace and this one lost his load. People dwelling on 13th had been wondering when something like this would happen’ and it finally did.
As a side note: Darrell Nichols and his wife had cerebral palsy. They sold popcorn and other concessions near the newly constructed Hood River swimming pool to the kids in the vicinity of the pool, across from the park.
The garage on the left housed their little mobile concession vehicle.
L.E.
Thanks for the great history Earle!