Historic Hood River
Shipbuilding
10-11-2012
Notes
We know very little about this image, but as you might expect for a river town Hood River has a proud history of shipbuilding. I’m sure some readers will fill us in on what is going on in this rich image. Also feel free to share your knowledge about shipbuilding in this area.
charlott
I would think that this would have been at Nichols Boat Works.
l.e.
A fitting time for this photo and hopefully some memories of a family owned business.
I learned something! My Canadian nephew, who was always fascinated with boats, worked for a boat building company on Whidbey Island. After some research, I’m guessing that was the Nichols Boat Works company.
When we moved to this area of the Columbia Gorge in the early 1970’s, there was a large farm house and huge barn on Country Club Rd.
Did that have a connection to the Nichols family?
spinsur
that barn boatworks on country club was the forerunner of maritime services.
charlott
Nichols was quite a well know family in the maritime industry. Ofcourse, we all know that the big stern-wheeler was built by Nichols. My daughter was tiny, had a love of that boat from the moment they started it. Since the Nichols family were good family friends, Dick "The Boat Builder" as she called him carried her in his arms on a personal tour long before it was completed. She was the first one to ring the bell on that boat. We always laughed as she compiled a thank you note and mailed it to: Dick "The Boat Builder", Hood River, Oregon………Post office had to do a lot of thinking to decide where that envelope should go. A very fond memory for her.