Historic Hood River
Where Am I?
2-20-2012
Notes
OK, this is a little easy, though the vegetation is thicker now. I wonder if they had as much poison oak back then? That’s a hint, if you’ve ever been to this spot.
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l.e.
One thing I have begun to notice from your photos Arthur, is that vegetation is thicker now.
Perhaps a combination of less fires and fewer grazing animals.
It must not be a very warm day, the way the ladies are bundled up. They definitely have their hiking boots on. Protection from rattle snakes?
Charlott
Just a guess and strictly that. I reminds me of what The Old Dalles Road might have looked like in that era. The only thing that puzzles me is the power lines. There wasn’t too many people on top of the mountain by that time. Like I say a guess………Do we know who any of the ladies are?
Dan
I agree with Charlott on the location.
l.e.
Did Hood River supply power to The Dalles at this time?
Arthur
Dan and Charlott are correct: Old Dalles Road, up above Eastside Road. I can’t say anything definitive about the poles and wires. They look more like phone wires than power to me. In any case, this road was the shortest distance between Hood River and Mosier, so I suspect they were service for Mosier.
This photo is from the "Davidson Collection." I don’t have IDs for any of these women, but I believe the collection came to use through May Davidson, sister of Horatio Davidson. If you click on the "Davidson" tag to the left you’ll see many other photos from the collection.
Arthur
Does anyone know what voltage was used for electricity transmission in the 1910s, and how far it could be transmitted? I don’t know when high voltage transmission over distance became possible. AC can’t go very far at low voltages.
l.e.
I don’t know anything about voltage Arthur, but my dad worked on the big BPA lines in the early 40’s.
It must have been 10 years before Bonneville supplied a large area with power.
I don’t think Glenwood got power until mid or late 40’s.
Jim Gray
At one time there was a community on top of the ridge,
maybe the power went up to them. When I was an EMT in the late 70’s I transported a elderly lady from Hanbys to HRMH, she told of a cougar following her and brother from Pine Grove School to her home on top of the east hills.
Charlott
That line going up there may have served Mosier. By this time there were very few people who lived up there. It had been settled in the 1890’s, by a number of families, including Elder’s, Wells’, Thomas’ and Hansen to name a few. By this time they had pretty well moved down the hill due o the fact that land up there was not good for farming.
At one period of time someone did have a store at the top where it makes the turn back to the east.
The lady telling about the cougar following them home may have very well been my great aunt as she and her brothers climbed that hill behind Pine Grove day in and day out.
Charlott
This photo looks like it could have been taken very close to where Reuben Elder lived on The Old Dalles Road. It would not surprise me if the woman on the right might not be Mary (Winans) Elder. Just a thought on my part.
Teri Byrne
I simply HAD to make this my Desktop Photo for the day!!
Love it.
Notice that they are HAPPY WOMEN….especially because nobody used to smile in so many of the OldTime photos 🙂
l.e.
Arthur….isn’t the "Summer Outing Davidson" #30 part of the Davidson collection? It didn’t come up in the Davidson tag, but it also is a "smiling" photo.
Arthur
Good catch, l.e. The word "Davidson" in the title was supposed to be in the keyword box.
We’ve just finished properly scanning all 507 Davidson negatives, so there are many more to come.
T W Perry
The lines above the ladys are phone lines. I doubt that power was
extended up the East Side Grade at that time.