Historic Hood River
Ruthton Point?
6-11-2026
Notes
Could this DeWitt cyanotype be a view of Ruthton Point? It looks like that may be the railroad down below, with the Morton Road crossing near the middle.
From context in the DeWitt Collection I believe is is circa 1910.
Pat A
The Rivercider.com website has a great history of the Struck family farming there.
I’ve always wanted to go down there and explore but respect the privacy family.
This I believe is before the log flume turned east on the Washington side in view?
ArthurB
Pat– I couldn’t find evidence of the flumes on either side of the river in this image. It’s possible the flume from the Belmont planing mill is just out of the frame, or this might have been taken before it was built. This collection bounces around in dates, so it’s hard to be confident.
Rico
Definitely Ruthton point, check out the video on Google maps, the mountains on the Washington side line up. What year were the tunnels on 14 put in ? https://maps.app.goo.gl/UrBGNveY8BVgUHUw5?g_st=ac
Arthur Babitz
Good question Rico– the tunnels on the Washington side first came with the railroad. I know we have a post somewhere covering the north shore railroad, but it will take some searching. My recollection is it was between 1900 and 1910, but that could be incorrect.
Arthur Babitz
There’s some discussion about it here: https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org/sr-14-construction/
Jeffrey Bryant
The Lovell family had property at Ruthton Point too. My grandmother’s brother lived there after his retirement. His wife was Irma “Peggy” Lovell Vaughan.
Pat A
1923 the flume turned east from Drano lake to the Broughton mill, so pre dates this cyanotype.
As discussed in the Drano lake flume photo.
L. E.
One of my favorite Ruthton photos. I must have liked it, because I sure talked a lot.
https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org/grandpa-hinrichs/