Historic Hood River
Slice of Life
10-16-2013
Notes
This is one of the Joe Young fire department pictures. I’m not quite sure what’s going on here, but it’s part of a series that suggests a brush fire in the lot across the street has interrupted a nice Hood River summer day. Perhaps there was a stray July 4th firework. There’s a little Norman Rockwell quality to this.
charlott
The guy either got hit with the hose or wet his pants. Always an onlooker on a bike, who has been doing something himself. Look at his shirt…..Wonder what the bowl is for?
l.e.
What an interesting photo! I’m curious to see if the locals know where this is.
I bet some of those kids might still be around.
Looks like quite a difference in years of the cars.
And what is the bowl for??
l.e.
As you can see, Charlott is always a couple of minutes ahead of me, posting her comment while I am still writing mine.
Charlott…..we will probably never get to know what the purpose of the bowl. Perhaps cookies or feeding the cat.
Arthur, I wanted to tell you nice title for the photo.
Rawhyde
Isn’t that roughly at 4th and Prospect?
Arlen Sheldrake
car in the middle looks a lot like the 1948 Chev we had; I also believe that is Prospect. Bill? (our first home, 701 Prospect was west of here).
Joe "oil heat" Young? I think this photo is late 40s…….
nc
I love this picture. So nostalgic when life was a bit slower. It could be on a weekend since so many men are in the picture.If it was firemen they would be in uniform possibly.
longshot
One woman in slacks, another in a mid calf length dress with bobby socks. The young girl’s dress is cut above her knees while full length pants are still in style for the boys. Lot of short sleeves so it must have been warm. The shadows lay out to the north so it was midday and from the number of men on the streets and that they were not dressed in their Sunday best I would guess it was a Saturday. The shadows aren’t too long or short so the photo may have been taken around fall equinox.
Looks like a fire hose laid along the road.
Is it just something funny the camera lens did, or is the right (east) wall and chimney of the white house leaning?
DeAnna
My first thought was Wilson Street?
(or maybe Hull or Pine…heights area) The white house sure looks familiar!
Bill Seaton
Arlen, I’m pretty sure it in not Prospect Street
nels
To put the story together, there must have been a fire, possibly a grass fire as there are weeds towards the curb. At first they tried to put it out with the garden hose and the man in the foreground got hosed. He may have burned his hand. Then the fire dept came. Firemen were businessmen and did not have uniforms. Sort of a come as you are situation. Made for some excitement for all the neighbors. Evidently out as no one is paying much attention to the problem anymore, just talking it all over.
Rawhyde
Maybe someone was trying to burn that leopard-print shirt…couldn’t blame them.
RHD
I believe it’s 4th st between May and June.
l.e.
I don’t think it happened behind the houses. I think it, whatever it was, happened right there on the street.
The garden hose was probably already there for watering that little tree.
It could be blood on the back of the leopard print shirt guy, but what would cause blood to spatter on the back?
I’m guessing it is oil.
His hand looks like it might be cut or as nels said, maybe burned.
The guy across the street with suspenders is cleaning up something.
longshot
The guy with the suspenders looks like he has a fire hose trailing out behind him.
Bill Seaton
So, Arthur, do you know the address of this location?
Norma Jubitz Simpson
I think RHD is right on the location.
Bill P.
The man in the "shirt" is Buck Dean, HR fireman and lumber broker. He loved kids and I asume he befriened the girl and got the real story. The whole neighborhood turned out and the 2 1/2 inch fire line is still charged. Let’s find these two houses to add to this image.
Bill P.
Susan Baldwin
I too think the camera is facing east, across 4th, between June and May streets. A slice indeed – I count 18 people in this little photo.
Maria Kollas
I am convinced that I am looking at our house – 915 4th St, between May and June, before the current vinyl siding was installed. It was built in 1947. The white house seen in front looks pretty much the same today.
Arthur
Wow, I didn’t expect this one to generate so much interest. The number on the house is blurry, but I read it as 915 or 925, so I’m sure Maria’s ID of her house at 915 4th St is correct. The fire was in the grassy empty lot to the right, just out of the frame. There is another image which shows it clearly.
Christie
Those two boys with the striped shirts and light colored hair look an awful lot like Doug & Dave Henne. They lived on June near 4th.