Historic Hood River
Transmission
Notes
I’m not sure where this is, but it’s probably 1920s or 1930s. It’s interesting how early we had major electrical transmission lines in this area. Condit Dam, White River, and Powerdale all joined a primitive “grid” one hundred years ago. With the very early generators if there was a system failure power was out until the generator was repaired. When floods damaged old Powerdale pipes I imagine it could be a week or more to restore power. But by 1913 there was a transmission line across the Columbia bringing Condit Dam power to our side of the river, where it tied in with Powerdale and White River.
They understood the same principles of electricity transmission that are practiced today: cover longer distances with high voltage lines, which must be high above the ground because of some basic laws of physics. The high voltage lets you carry the same power at lower currents, which translates to thinner/lighter/cheaper wires. You need a good amount of air between the wire and the ground to reduce transmission losses from the higher voltages. This basic tower design hasn’t changed much in a century.
There are some pretty large buildings in that valley. Can anyone place it?
Will
Could it be above Klickitat off Old Appleton Grade?
Stever
Love that wind swept tree – west winds a blow-n !! …. Here's a similar pic from a few years back for clues – http://historichoodriver.com/index.php?showimage=942
L.E.
Someone will figure out where this is. Should be some recognizable clues. I think no limbs on the side of that tree indicates east wind and ice storms.
A BPA power line runs through the farm where I grew up. My mom said when they first put the BPA Ines through personal property, people were worried about the health affects. A few years ago, when BPA was going to run a line from Troutdale, OR to Kelso, WA, not much had changed. Health issues was still a major topic.
Melody Shellman
My guess is that is Bingen across the way, and they are a couple towers south of the one at Stanley Rock.
Rawhyde
Melody is correct. That is Bingen across the river. Identified by the distrinctive rock outcroppings.
L.E.
Well, if that is Bingen across the river, then I am really wrong on what side of the tree there are no limbs.
That might be the Bingen School straight across. Dickey Farms to the right?
ArthurB
If that's Bingen what is that enormous building?
Basaltgrouse
That is Bingen. The Heritage Museum is the white building just left of the second tower leg from the left. I think that the Bingen school is the large white building above the middle man. I don't know about the large building with three gables but after a close review of http://historichoodriver.com/index.php?showimage=942 . It can be seen in that image as well. In that image it blends into the tree line and is below the museum building. I believe it is located about where the current Bingen City shop is now. I was told that the house on the Southwest corner of Cherry and Jefferson was moved from South of the tracks at about the time that Bonneville damn was built. Its roof line and scale are very similar to the house that is left of the big mystery building.
ArthurB
Perhaps the large building is the mill which burned down. We covered that a while back. That would narrow down the date considerably: http://historichoodriver.com/index.php?showimage=413
L.E.
I think the Jaymar Mill was in the area of today's SDS, which would place it west of the big building.
Ralph Brown, who does a lot of research on White Salmon/Bingen history says, “the white house on the extreme left would be where Beneventies Pizza is now. The Maple hotel is by the big maple tree. Then the Church, the Suksdorf farm and then the school. But, the house on the River and the triple peaked building, he has no idea. He said he has not come across very many photos of the bottomland.
I think that is the Warner/Henderson/Dickey farm. I know Mr. Henderson took his own life after Bonneville dam flooded much of their bottom ground. It depressed him so much.
ArthurB
LE, the Jaymar Mill I'm familiar with was in Hood River down by “The Hook”. Did they have a mill in Bingen too?
I'll post some better detail from this image and #942 so you Bingen historians can sort out the buildings better. At full resolution I can line up several of the buildings.
L.E.
Sorry, I meant Nordby.