Historic Hood River
“Second Street Looking North”
6-24-2024
Notes
This Reeves postcard shows the familiar view of Second Street looking to the north on a busy day. There’s a big crowd of people by the intersection of Oak Street, so perhaps there is a parade or other event.
The City Hall building was built in 1920. I can’t make out the exact year of the license plates but the format is the 1920’s format, which is consistent with the automobiles. The pickup in front of City Hall is a Model T. I can’t identify the fleet of automobiles on the west side of Second Street, but at least one of them has “Hood River” placard, so I am guessing at least some of them are city vehicles.
The tank at the end of the block contains water for Arlen’s steam locomotives.
Jeffrey Bryant
I see the Hood River Cafe on the left. It is still in the same spot, doing business as the Hood River Restaurant, serving Chinese food for over 100 years.
Dale Nicol
Arthur, I see your Model-T pick up prominently parked downhill and it looks like the 4th vehicle on the right side is either a huckster or possibly a Depot Hack…..appears to have a truck box/bed and with a canvas drop down cover.
Can you enlarge the image for a better look?
Will
I wouldn’t have thought that Masonic sign dated to this period (if it is the same one).
Kurt Cyrus
That hill across the river hasn’t changed in a hundred years. When I consider that the 1920’s picture is closer to my childhood than the updated picture, I suddenly feel very old.
L. E.
Was the water tower fed by a spring?
You can see the road coming down from the west side of White Salmon to the Dock area on the Columbia. I can’t remember the name of the road.
Jeffrey Bryant
One thing I notice about Hood River when I visit is the fact that many of the telephone poles have been removed. An editorial in the Hood River Glacier, 1927-05-12, page 2, comments about how much better Oak Street looks with the recent removal of telephone and power poles.
https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn97071110/1927-05-12/ed-1/seq-2/