Yesteryears: Hood River Inn has new owner in 1986

It took more enthusiasm than is the lot of even boxing fans to tempt them from the fireside last Saturday night to the bouts at Pythian Hall, and the few who braved the wintery elements saw some good boxing and got half their entrance money back at the door because the match between Nails Gorman and Lou Graham was not staged, the latter getting cold feet when he saw the small crowd and did some mental figuring on the size of the purse.

In the preliminary, Dove Knight, of Irrington, scored a knockout from Jack Flannigan of Vancouver in the early part of the opening round. Knight was quite fast and followed a left lead with a right cross, which carried sufficient wallop to put Flannigan down for the full count, and then some.

The bout between Micky Roberts of Pendleton, and Jack Brown of Enterprise, was the main event, after Graham decided the purse was not worth fighting for. Both were about evenly matched and preferred slugging to boxing. In the third round, Brown forgot the rules and was hitting low, when he was called by the referee. In the fourth round, after a particularly bad foul, Brown was disqualified, Roberts taking the bout.

For the second time within the past few weeks, Ernie Smith was willing to fight, but there was nobody to oblige him, Soldier Kelly failing to put in an appearance.

Frankie Doyle, of Pendleton, was referee.

The weather, and the weather only, was responsible for the small attendance.

— Hood River News, November 26, 1926

1926 — 90 years ago

One of the most elaborate Christmas bazaars and fairs ever attempted by a local church will be given on Dec. 9, 10 and 11 by the St. Mary’s Catholic Church. The old dining room of the Mt. Hood Hotel has been secured for the event, and it will make an ideal place for the location of the numerous booths. The large dining room will lend itself to the decorations that will turn it into a miniature carnival. Every member of St. Mary’s is engaged in some activity towards the preparation of the bazaar, fair and carnival. A hope chest has been filled with rare and exquisite articles. This will be one of the high spot features of the fair. Everyone who sees it is hoping that it may be hers.

1936 — 80 years ago

An opportunity for a group of Hood River County women to take up a course in Home Hygiene is now offered by the local chapter of the American Red Cross and Miss Bessie Williams, county nurse. This course, which will feature care of the sick, will be held in town and it is expected that the first session will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 2 and will last about two hours. All who wish to take this course are requested to phone County Nurse Williams or personally interview her in the office in Pythian Building.

1946 — 70 years ago

The 18-inch blanket left in the Mid-Columbia area from last week’s snowstorm confined many residents of Hood River to their homes while highways and roads were being reopened to travel and only those who had “must” business in town — or who were determined to make possible, and see, the football game, put chains on wheels of their cars and broke their way through the deep, but light, snow covering. There was not much adventure in driving to town, but it required careful handling of both cars and trucks.

1956 — 60 years ago

“People don’t realize the changes which have taken place during the past 20 years in the upper valley,” is the comment of a Parkdale postmaster who will retire tomorrow (Friday) after holding that position for 20 years. His name is officially Andrew Lewis Boe, but everyone calls him “A.L.” Postmaster Boe has reference to the change, for instance, in the number of rural route boxes on the Parkdale circuit. There were 208 boxes on his route in 1936; today there are 401. The route mileage has doubled and is now 41.35 miles in length, he added.

1966 — 50 years ago

A lumber truck and car plowed into the freeway guardrail west of Hood River last Wednesday evening, blocking Thanksgiving holiday traffic in three lanes for more than two hours. Lumber from the truck spilled over the westbound lanes, and Sheriff R.L. Gillmouthe said traffic backed up in both lanes well beyond Koberg Beach, some four miles or more, before a lane could be cleared. State police reported they received the call about 8:30 p.m. to the three-car crash on the freeway near Meredith Motel. “We were lucky,” said Sheriff Gillmouthe, whose office cooperated with state police during the investigation. Some of the heaviest traffic in years on the stretch of freeway stopped, and was cleared without any other accidents occurring.

1976 — 40 years ago

A minor revolution in addresses for Hood River County is due to take place next February or March. A letter from County Administrative Assistant Dave Dockham late last week explained the basics of the change, and asked county residents to be patient and not create added problems in bringing the change about. In process now is a program which will wipe out rural route and box numbers used basically for mail delivery, but also as makeshift addresses. In the future, all residents will have an address keyed to the nearest road.

1986 — 30 years ago

And now it’s Nendels Hood River Inn — no longer just the Hood River Inn. The change came abruptly last week when Gordon Weller took over general management duties after Hood River Village Resort, Inc., closed the purchase arrangement. Announcement of the change came only after a long period where negotiations were in progress between the eventual purchasers and Ray Rogers of Circle Construction Co. A news release from Nendels stated it will involve an immediate $500,000 renovation of all public areas, restaurants and meeting facilities and existing guest rooms. In addition, construction is scheduled to begin in February on a 60-rooom wing immediately west of the existing structure.

1996 — 20 years ago

The sound was alarmingly familiar to Al Ruckman. The electrician was working to restore power at the Dee hardboard plant early Tuesday morning when he heard a tell-tale popping noise. The former mineworker new it could only mean the heavy timbers supporting the building’s roof were giving way. “I’ve been in the mines,” he said. “I said, ‘This is not good, we need to get everyone out.’” Shining their flashlights at the ceiling, Ruckman and fellow electrician Dave Garrett saw large cracks appearing in the timbers under the weight of a heavy, wet snowfall. Just after the last worker left, a portion of the roof gave way, causing electrical arcs that sparked a fire and destroyed the 45-year-old structure.

2006 — 10 years ago

Port of Hood River commissioners will proceed with staff’s recommendations to adapt the Expo Center for commercial reuse following a work session Tuesday night. The commission asked Port Director Michael McElwee to draft a resolution for a vote at their Dec. 5 meeting. They discussed the staff report Tuesday evening but did not vote on it. The commissioners discussed the Expo Center’s future as part of their goal-setting for the year in January. They directed staff to evaluate impact and reuse potential of the center Sept. 5. The facility has continuously lost about $50,000 to $70,000 each year for the port, an amount McElwee said is substantial.

— Compiled by Trisha Walker, news staff writer