Historic Hood River
White Salmon Delta
5-16-2012
Notes
An HHR reader offered to share this nice view of the delta of the White Salmon from before the dams. Unfortunately we don’t know the date, but I’m pretty sure it predates the Condit Dam, since that dam shut off the supply of silt which would create a bar like this. Now that the Condit Dam has been removed river users are debating what the eventual shape will be of the newly formed delta at this same spot.
Charlott
Very interesting photo. I shall have to have some of my cousins tune in on this one, as one of my family married into the Underwood family, who owned (origiginally) all this property shown.
l.e.
I love this photo! It is so clear with a lot of detail.
Can you see the steam engine coming up the tracks?
It looks like the tracks sit where Highway 14 now sits.
Remember the large fruit warehouse that sat beside the railroad? They must have added a lot of fill to create the large flat area that is there now.
l.e.
And for those who might not know……this is the dividing line between Klickitat and Skamania County.
Scott Cook
Hmmm, this pic makes me curious about the history of the ferry at the Underwood dock. I read in HR A-to-Z an account that said during HR prohibition days (pre-National prohibition) ole Amos (?) ran a "booze boat" from HR over to this Skamania County spot because Skamania County wasn’t "dry" at the time, as was HR County and Klickitat.
Anybody have any tales relating to that bit of gorge arcana??
Casey
Really cool photo. I can’t wait to see how the WS sandbar develops.
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Charlott
No, I had never heard that one about Amos………Interesting. Will have to do some checking within the family………
Scott Cook
Seems I might have confused Pat’s HR A-Z article with another story I heard..probably a Keith McCoy tale….but Charlott, I’d appreciate any history you dig up. cheers, scott
Jason
The tracks are in the same location as in the photo. Hwy 14 was built next to them.