Historic Hood River
Summertime, Circa 1930
Notes
Finally summer weather has arrived. For most of the first half of the last century that would mean a trip to Koberg Beach to escape the heat. We got to the entrance of Koberg beach with a previous photo, but now it’s time to pay the admission fee and go through the gates.
That’s the snack shack selling ice cream and soda pop in the middle, with changing rooms on either side. There’s plenty of room to spread a blanket or splash around. In the evening the attention would shift to the dance pavilion, which will be the subject of a future post.
This glass negative has a caption affixed, so there’s a good possibility it was intended for use as a postcard.
[Ed. Note: It is possible this image is not Koberg Beach, and is from the 1920s instead of the 1930s. See comments section. I’ll update it when we’ve completed the analysis of the set of three negatives]
l.e.
This type of sandy beach is something we lost with the building of dams.
Jim Gray
The beach was still there in the fifties and sixties after the dams, it started disappearing when they began to change the level of the river constantly.
Charlott
This photo was no doubt taken on the downhill run for Kobergs, as it show that the swimming crib, slides and other fun things related to swimming are gone. There was still quite a beach area in my early teens. Nothing else there. The Pavillion was for awhile, and only a small portion of the foundation remains.
Bill Pattison
I would place this area between the Hood River and the HR/WS bridge. this was a popular summer area and close to town. This water area was later used for rafting logs to be transported on the river. pilings were driven and the beach was such a mess it was abanded as a swim area. Look at the background of the east side of the City and Mt. Hood to the east of "Goat Hill". Stand by the Museum and you will see the background in this photo.
l.e.
Thanks Bill. I was thinking this view has to be more from the Hood River Inn area than up by the big rock at Koberg beach.
Today I looked and I think it must be even more west of the Inn.
Charlott
I think Bill is right, as the background is definitely not Koberg’s.
Scott Cook
Yeah, I agree with Bill too. This was Hood River "beach" rather than Koberg’s. This beach was west of the Hood River I believe. There are pix in the Museum files showing views from this beach over to the White Salmon bluffs.
Arthur
There are two other negatives in this series showing different angles. I’ll post them soon for the HHR jury, but the view N. towards Strawberry Mtn. and Hospital Hill backs up Bill’s claim. They also put this at pre-1924, as the bridge is not present in another view where it should be. Wrong location and wrong date!
Thanks for all the careful comments and analysis. It’s great to have so many knowledgeable eyes collaborating to produce a more accurate record.