1915 — 100 years ago
Meetings have been held at both Odell and Pine Grove during the past week to consider the proposition of establishing a high school at Odell. This has met with strong favor and indications are that the school may be established before another school year. It is proposed to combine the districts of Odell, Valley Crest, Fir and part of the Pine Grove for high school purposes.
1925 — 90 years ago
Frank Moore, who dispenses eats and drinks at the Hood River Drug Co. in town and lives on Avalon Way, thought the enemy had arrived when, early Sunday morning, he was awakened by a terrific explosion which shook the house. An investigation revealed that the big pressure tank of an automatic water system had blown up, tore its way from the basement thought rafters, and through the floor of the dining room. It is stated that the cause of the explosion was the failure of the automatic cut-out to work, which permitted the air pressure to increase until the tank could no longer stand the strain.
For the third time within the year, yeggs made another, and this time, successful attempt to blow the big safe at the McIsaac store and post office at Parkdale. Early Wednesday morning, with a roar which awakened a number of people the safe was blown with such force that part of it was shot through the store front into the street. Before anyone got around, however, the yeggs decamped and a checkup made on Wednesday shows that about $1300 in cash and stamps had been taken. Throughout the day Sheriff Edick and his men kept the wires hot trying to locate a Chevrolet Car, which had been seen in Parkdale at a late hour on Tuesday night.
According to officers, a very heavy charge was used on the safe, which was of the latest, burglar-proof type.
Three attempts have been made to blow safes in the McIsaac store within the past 12 months. Last year, around strawberry time, yeggs tried to blow the safe, but apart from doing considerable damage in the store, were not successful. Later in the same year, another attempt resulted in the big doors being shattered, but the inner door defied the efforts of the yeggs, who got away with goods from the store but no money. Mr. McIsaacs then installed a heavy burglar proof safe of the most modern type and believed no further efforts would be made.
The entire loss is fully covered by burglar insurance. Mr. McIsaacs left last Saturday for Louisville, Kentucky, on Association business, and was expected to arrive in Chicago Wednesday morning.
— Hood River News, May 29, 1925
While the Columbia River at the end of last week stood 30 feet above low water mark, it is a long way below what are regarded as years of really high water. The highest water ever known is 54 feet, recorded in 1894, when the flood water was level with the railroad tracks. That year the river rose one foot a day until the day when the peak was registered, when it made a rise of four feet.
1935 — 80 years ago
Rumors that efforts would be made by a union delegation from Portland to close the Oregon Lumber Company’s mill and box plant at Dee, which has been circulating over several days, materialized early Tuesday when, bright and early, four men who admitted they were union delegates, arrived in Hood River and, after eating breakfast, left for the mill at Dee, with the announcement that, when they returned to Hood River, the majority of the workers at the mill would be organized, and mill officials would accept their terms or the men would be in strike.
The Judiciary committee of the city council is now deliberating on an ordinance which will bar double parking of cars and trucks in the downtown area. It is stated, that double parking on Oak Street, especially during tourist season, is a real hazard in the business sections of town.
1945 — 70 years ago
There was a general regret in Hood River Friday morning of last week when it was learned that Truman Butler, for many years a leader in this community, had died suddenly while he was resting at Nelscott, at the age of 73. He played a leading part in civic and other progressive movements in the Hood River area and his work for the benefit of this community will ever be associated with its growth.
The Federal Nursery School and Child Care Center, which have been operated here the past two seasons for the convenience of working mothers, has proven so satisfactory that it is to be kept open on a year round basis from now on. The school will be moved to a permanent location as soon as possible, but for the summer months, Park Street School will be used. The Parkdale and Odell communities will also have child care centers set up. Mothers interested in this program are urged to leave their names with Mrs. Ralph H. Jones, 613 Oak Street, as soon as possible.
1955 — 60 years ago
Two county roads recently were renamed by the county court. Duckwall Road is now Wy’east Drive and is the county road between the state highway boarding the F.L. Moe property south of Tucker’s bridge to Duke’s Valley Road. It is routed by Wy’east High School. The second road formerly was the Al Groff Company Road and is now the Roy Webster Road. It extends from Dethman Ridge Road to Ehrch Road. The names were changed on May 11 and May 18.
It’s knuckles-down for top-ranking marble shooters in Hood River. Four boys represented the local area Saturday at the state marble tournament at Jantzen Beach Park. Bob Hackett, local class A winner, brought home the trophy and an agate marble for winning third in the eastern Oregon championship. He and David Feinauer won ball mitts for winning Classes A and B in Hood River last week, and Tommy Kimbell and James Shroyer, were runner-uppers. The Hood River marble tourney was co-sponsored by the Lions Club and VFW.
1965 — 50 years ago
Mosier Library will start its summer hours next Thursday, June 3. The library will be open 2-3 p.m. on Monday and Thursday afternoons, and from 7-8 p.m. Thursday evenings. It will not be open Monday, May 31, a holiday.
Barret-Oak Grove News by Jane Franz: Spring has sprung and left its mark. “Jasper” had kittens last week. This was a shock to him as well as us. We had to talk loud and long explaining his motherly duties. As if that wasn’t enough — a faithful banty hen has flipped her cork and is now crowing at the drop of an acorn! Believe me, things are mixed up around here!
1975 — 40 years ago
Old and young and those of ages between all played a role in Hood River County’s annual Memorial Day observance this year. Weather was overcast, and a few drops of rain fell during the morning. But the day was warm and calm as the community paid its memorial tribute. Two parades, a main address, and decorating a monument at Idlewilde cemetery drew more than 200 persons to participate during the morning observance.
A $37,000 community block grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development was made Tuesday to the city of Cascade Locks. The grant will be used for construction of sewer line, sidewalks, gutters and curbs in the city. In addition to these municipal improvements, the funds will be used in concluding Cascade Locks’ urban renewal project.
1985 — 30 years ago
About 10 young people from Hood River (they hope there will be more) will form a “first of a kind” delegation this year to visit sister city Tsuruta, Japan. The tentative plan is to travel to Tokyo, departing for Tsuruta aboard the world famous bullet train. In Tsuruta, the students will be guests in homes throughout their week-long stay, returning to Tokyo on the bullet train at the close of their visit.
When Greg Moser and the Memphis Showboats came to Portland to take on the Breakers in USFL pro football action Saturday, it was more than a game for the former Hood River Valley High wide receiver and his followers. It was a double loss. Not only did Portland upset the Breakers 17-14, but Moser snared only two passes — one on a two-point conversion — and one nullified by the USFL’s new red flag appeal. A nice catch by Moser was nullified when refs said he didn’t have control of the ball before going out of bounds. Moser did give the Hood River following a few cheers, though, despite the loss.
1995 — 20 years ago
As promised, two-way traffic returns to downtown’s Second Street overpass this Friday — the first day of the Memorial Day holiday weekend. When the $8 million Oregon Department of Transportation renovation project began, that agency pledged two lanes of traffic would be restored for the summer tourist season. Just a southbound route has been open the past four months. This week, a state official and project contractor Weaver Construction said the deadline would be met. It will be a tight fit, though.
Hood River County residents hungry for a Whopper won’t be able to pick one up here, the Hood River Planning Commission ruled Tuesday. In a narrow 4-3 decision, the commission rejected Cascadia Development Company’s plan for the fast food restaurant proposed for light industrial property adjacent to the Port of Hood River’s industrial area.
2005 — 10 years ago
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Affiliate of Oregon and SW Washington announced Monday that Nuestra Comunidad Sana (The Next Door, Inc.) in Hood River has been awarded a $38,000 Komen Community grant. The medical center’s challenge is to advance the local fight against breast cancer remains as great today as ever, and it will use the grant to reach out to Latinas in the areas in their homes and places of work and worship to teach that breast cancer can be survived if detected in time.
The Port of Cascade Locks threw a party on Thursday to show off its newly remodeled community center. Invited guests arrived at the Gorge Pavilion to enjoy the festivities, which included gourmet food, spirits and live music from Retta Christie and the Jazz Trio. They also came to admire the elegant look of the 3,000 square foot circular structure in Port Marine Park.
— Compiled by Trisha Walker, news staff writer
Commented