Hood River walking tour brings history to life

Can you really put an 8 mile per hour speed limit on a cow?

Fran Finney and Buck Parker, volunteers with the History Museum of Hood River County, set out to answer these questions and more on their walking tours through downtown Hood River.

While the tours might be of interest to visitors, they’re really more for locals — newly arrived or generations-old. The tour takes walkers on an hour-plus stroll through history, complete with colorful stories and black and white photographs of the people and places highlighted on the route.

Themes of agriculture, transportation and industry are woven throughout, as is the jarring contrast between the progressive values on which Hood River was founded and its eventual reputation as the most racist county in the nation.

(Yes. The entire nation.)

Hood River’s turn towards “windustry” beginning in the late 1970s is also discussed, and how tourism has changed the makeup of the downtown area. (Hint: When Hood River was founded, there were no spirits sold of any kind.)

It’s also an interesting look at the city’s architecture — there’s a reason why most of the buildings are made of brick or stone — and the composition of businesses, with like companies occupying the same areas (think banks, car dealers and even churches).

Finney and Parker's tour also includes valley history, as so much of what happened in Hood River has countywide roots.

In short, it’s an unflinching, fascinating look at how Hood River got its start, its name, and its character — and how it has changed through the decades.

Tours begin each Monday at 11 a.m. in the lobby of the Hood River Hotel, First and Oak, and are planned until July 18 — unless demand is high, in which case they’ll extend it, said Maureen Lauran, museum education and volunteer coordinator. Cost is $10, and includes free admission to the museum. For more information, call the museum at 541-386-6772.