1915 — 100 years ago
After litigation covering a period of 18 months, S. Benson last week secured clear title to Multnomah Falls and deeded this scenic feature of the Columbia River Highway to the City of Portland. The tract includes the 40 acres enclosing the falls.
1925 — 90 years ago
The Hackett Radio Company is now installed in its new quarters on Oak Street, and, with a line of especially good radio apparatus and accessories, is all ready for what is expected to be a big fall and winter business. With the new and greatly improved Magnavox receiver and the Stewart Warner line, Ted Hackett expresses the opinion that he will be able to satisfy the most exacting radio fan of this section.
Last Sunday, Dee saw the last of a big band of sheep which have destroyed the wild berry patches, polluted the irrigation ditch and made general nuisances of themselves. E. C. MacLennan, of Eastern Oregon, brought in about 6,000 sheep this spring, which he ranged over the logged-off land of the Oregon Lumber Co. Due to the rough nature of the country, he had a great deal of trouble and lost a number of sheep. A large number got separated from the main flock. These are now roaming the hills, waiting for some hunter who can’t find a deer, to come and get them.
1935 — 80 years ago
With the forms removed during the past few days, Hood River’s new federal post office, located on Cascade at Fourth Street, is now rapidly nearing completion and Contractor Hoffman will, it is expected, be ready to turn it over about the first of November.
The wind and rain of last weekend combined to take a toll in a number of pear orchards, especially in the Upper Valley. Anjou pear trees, carrying an unusually heavy load of fruit and propped as carefully as possible, were unable to stand the added weight of rain in a boisterous wind, with the result that limbs broke off just beyond the prop and a percentage of fine pears are now windfalls.
1945 — 70 years ago
The two nursery schools in Hood River and Parkdale will be closed Oct. 31, according to City School Superintendent J.L. Breckenbridge. The enrollment in the Hood River nursery is now 882, 35 of the children being very young and the others older. The Parkdale nursery school also has been very well attended this year.
Hood River High School Dragons open their football season this Friday evening on the local field, when they will meet the Parkrose team. According to Coach Buetgenbach, the Hood River team is in good shape and prospects are good for an excellent season of sport. Hood River fans are urged to take in all games possible, to give the Hood River boys a real break.
Although most of Oregon received a good soaking last week, outdoor users are warned that the fire danger is still acute.
Fishermen, hunters and other persons utilizing the recreational aspects of the out of doors have a tremendous responsibility in preventing fires. Continued use of privately owned and public lands depends upon our fire prevention practices.
The high fire danger that exists in our forests and range lands is common throughout the state at this time of year. Even though the nights are cool and damp, the ground duff and litter are quickly dried by the high daytime temperatures, making them extremely vulnerable to combustion.
Sportsmen can help insure access to privately owned and public lands by helping prevent range and forest fires and generally conducting themselves in a manner befitting a true sportsman. The Oregon Game commission urges all persons using the outdoors to respect the property and rights of others and guard against any fire outbreak.
— Hood River News, September 23, 1955
1955 — 60 years ago
Construction of Hood River Memorial Hospital is expected to start late this fall since the approval of $171,300 in federal funds by the state board of health meeting at The Dalles on Friday. A representative of the hospital board of trustees said there is a possibility the figure might be raised to $175,000.
Cloud Cap Inn is the scene of the first meeting of the Mountain Rescue and Safety Council of Oregon this weekend, reports Bob Moller. Hosts will be the Crag Rats and Mazamas.
1965 — 50 years ago
A new record for early low temperatures in the Hood River Valley went on experiment station books last Friday. Walt Mellenthin, superintendent at the experiment station, checked the records back to 1910, and found that the 27 degrees recorded on Sept. 17, 1965, marked the earliest date the thermometer had dipped that low. All-time low for September was in 1926, when a 24 degree reading was recorded. But that was on Sept. 25 — a week later than last week’s low.
“Operation Big Switch,” transferring nearly 100 students and one teacher within the county school system, swung into effect Monday. At the core of the change was transfer of Mrs. LaVelle Stone, Frankton second grade teacher, to Mid Valley to help with the student increase there. Eleven Coe students were transferred to Oak Grove, and four went to Coe. An overload at Odell School led to shirting a whole grade to another school. The Odell fifth grade, some 43 students, was moved to Mid Valley.
1975 — 40 years ago
A suspect has been arrested in California in connection with the $10,000 food stamp robbery at the Odell Post Office May 16. The male, age and address unknown, was arrested August 30 in Escalon, Calif., and charged with robbery of a post office, according to a U.S. postal inspector in Portland.
The new sales team for Allen-Hay Motors includes two new — but familiar — faces: Bob Morrison and Robert. W. “Pete” Peterson. Morrison was born here, and sold cars here prior to 1959. Most recently, he was working in The Dalles. Peterson recently retired from the Corps of Engineers staff at Bonneville. They join “old hands” John VanRas, Clarke Brathovd, Roy Ervin and Ed Allen.
1985 — 30 years ago
Purchase of the land now occupied by Peggy’s Hen Hut, and an adjoining parking lot to the east, has been completed as the first step in a plan by the Mid-Columbia Medical Center of The Dalles to expand the range of health care services offered in the Hood River area. “We conducted a survey in the Mid-Columbia of referral patterns and where patients went for primary and specialty care,” explained Mid-Columbia Medical Center executive vice-president Mark Scott. “We discovered that Hood River was the main leakage point in the Mid-Columbia. People are leaving to receive care in Portland. We want to offer Hood River County the same services now available in Wasco County.”
A longtime avocation has turned into a new business enterprise for Don and Catherine Kelter, as the couple opened The Wine Sellers in the historic Smith House last week. The Wine Sellers offers customers an opportunity to sample various wines, cheeses and French bread on the premises, along with specialty gourmet grocery items, dry and frozen pasta, olive oils, baskets and hard-to-find items.
1995 — 20 years ago
It’s going to be difficult for Hood River pilot Tom Murphy to top Saturday’s spectacular re-creation of a 1912 stunt, but it appears the aviation world hasn’t heard the last of the 49-year-old daredevil. Thousands watched in Portland and Vancouver Saturday as Murphy cruised off a 200-foot makeshift runway on top of the vacated Multnomah Hotel in a 900-pound Curtiss Pusher biplane and landed across the Columbia River at Pearson Air Field. It was the second historic flight by Murphy, who in 1992 re-created the first interstate postal flight between Oregon and Washington.
The construction of a $10 million, 300 to 500 bed prison was proposed for a site in Cascade Locks at Thursday’s Port of Cascade Locks commission meeting. The port commission will not take any immediate action on the proposal, said Commission president Jean McLean.
2005 — 10 years ago
A wildland fire burned hot and fast on Monday afternoon along Indian Creek Road — a reminder that grasses and other natural fuels are extremely dry from the lack of summer rain. West Side was dispatched to the field in between the baseball field and Diamond Fruit cold storage until about 3:30 p.m. The fire is still under investigation but is suspicious in nature, said West Side Fire Marshal Jim Trammell.
Hood River Distillers, well-known for its 10-year-old Pendleton whiskey, has announced that its exclusive 20-year-old Pendleton Director’s Reserve 2005 Whiskey was made available in mid-September to coincide with the Pendleton Round-Up. The bottle design includes the famous Pendleton Round-Up bucking bronco with a red “20” brand.
— Compiled by Trisha Walker, news staff writer
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