Historic Hood River
Steel to Wood
12-4-2014
Notes
This 1931 Alva Day image shows a transition between steel (or iron) pipeline and wood pipeline at the Powerdale hydroelectric project. This pipeline needed regular service and replacement to stay in service for almost 90 years. You can see the hillside above the steel section shows signs of a recent slide which probably took out a section of the original wood line.
l.e.
I guess in the early days of electricity the locals not only had to take care of the power lines during an ice or wind storm, but, they had to take care of the entire power source from start to finish.
Arlen Sheldrake
Many of us have vivid memories of the jets of water coming out of the cracks in the wooden pipes…..in HR it was walking the pipe not walking the plank….
Arthur, has the Museum made overtures to PacificCorp to acquire and preserve their vast collection of Powerdale materials? Seems to me that the HR museum would be the logical location for their collection now that their facility is history.
Kenn
I understand the small expense breaching the dam to restore normal water flow, but do not agree with the huge expense to remove all traces of history at the site.