Historic Hood River
Whistlepunk
Notes
Our research team has been conducting an inventory of the museum’s holdings of newspapers, and I thought I would share some of the more interesting titles we haven’t discussed before. Whistlepunk was published between 1965 and 1968 by Bob Hall and covered all things Hood River Valley. I think it’s fair to say it had a different viewpoint than it’s contemporary, The Hood River News. I’ll let those of you who remember it fill in some of the details about the style and editorial content.
The term “whistle punk” is defined as “a lumberjack who operates the signal wire running to a donkey engine whistle.” As you might imagine it was pretty important to pay attention to that whistle which might warn a log or rigging might be swinging your way.
Jeffrey W Bryant
The Whistlepunk office was next door to the Hood River News on Oak Street. My brother and I got our picture in the paper one time.
Jeffrey W Bryant
We were on the front page of the July 29, 1965 edition, which indicated circulation was 6,200.
L.E.
My neighbor has old logging equipment out behind his barn. One day while I was working outside, a whistle kept tooting. I decided maybe I should walk over and make sure everything was OK. It was a hot day, and the neighbor came climbing out of a piece of equipment, frustrated and sweating. He was trying to get the old piece of equipment ready to move, but the whistle kept tooting out warnings.
L.E.
Will we get comments on the Sheldrake murder?
Arlen L Sheldrake
Yes, our Uncle Donald, father John L.'s brother, was murdered for his bail money.
He always carried and sometimes flashed the fact that he carried cash $ so as to bail himself out of jail as he was a semi-small time thief. One of his exploits that I remember being told was wheeling out of the Sears & Roebuck store (now Metro headquarters) a lawn mower without paying for it. He was brazen to say the least. While on the shady side…..he didn't deserve the brutal death. Roger and I remember that Donald was banned from coming on our Belmont property by our Mother…so Dad would talk to him in the driveway next to Belmont. Father John always said that Donald began his exploits as a young lad by stealing from the parents Sheldrake store in Parkdale.
Judy
Gillmouthe was in office forever in HR County
James
Pray tell, Where was the 'Eddie Mays Inn' located in Hood River. I've never heard of that Inn…….?
Kurt Cyrus
I could be wrong, but my memory of the Whistlepunk is that it was distributed free of charge, and worth every penny. It came to our house, but I'm sure my parents never subscribed.
Dave
James, Eddie Mays was the original name for Hood River Inn.
Bill Seaton
As I recall, when the Whistlepunk came out, it was a controversial paper that was intent on taking some positions contrary to those of the Hood River News and some community leaders.