Hood River in Hood River County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)
Hood River
From Steamboats to Sailboards
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 12, 2015
1. Hood River Marker
Gale-force winds bedeviled explorers and emigrants alike in the Columbia River Gorge. Journals from the 1800s depict travel as treacherous through this singular passage in the Cascade Range where 60 mile-per-hour gusts are common.
By the 1880s, steamboats and a new railroad linked Hood River with communities to the east and west. Spectacular scenery and a dryer climate made this blustery place a popular escape from the dampness and drizzle of western Oregon. When the Historic Columbia River Highway reached Hood River in 1916, Portlanders flocked to this hamlet in their Model Ts.
Today, the same conditions that created dry, breezy appeal at the turn of the century offer perfect conditions for windsurfing. Many visitors now come to Hood River just to glimpse "boardheads" engaged in this colorful sport.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & Streetcars • Roads & Vehicles • Waterways & Vessels.
Location. 45° 42.88′ N, 121° 30.376′ W. Marker is in Hood River, Oregon, in Hood River County. Marker is on East Port Marina Drive north of Interstate 84 when traveling north. Marker is located within Port Marina Park, at the north end of East Port Marina Drive, overlooking
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A School with Roots (approx. ¼ mile away); The Henderson (approx. ¼ mile away); OWR & N Company Railroad Depot (approx. 0.4 miles away); Hood River Garage (approx. half a mile away); Hotel Waucoma (approx. half a mile away); The Mount Hood Hotel Annex (approx. half a mile away); The Blowers Building (approx. half a mile away); Sproat Building (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hood River.
Also see . . . Cloud Clap Inn Pictures.
Link to historic pictures of the Cloud Clap Inn (Submitted on February 10, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Oregon Historical Society
2. Marker detail: Cloud Clap Inn
Mountaineering became popular in the West during the 1890s. and Hood River allowed the best access to Mt. Hood. Cloud Cap Inn, Oregon's oldest mountain resort, was constructed at the 6,000 foot level of the mountain's north slope in 1889. The Inn was a favorite summer destination for hikers and mountain climbers. Today, it is a base for mountain rescue operations.
Postcard published by HHT Co., circa 1920
3. Mt. Hood and Cloud Cap Inn, Columbia River, Ore.
Oregon Historical Society
4. Marker detail: Mt. Hood Loop Road
Excursions "round the mountain" from Hood River were a must when the Mt. Hood Loop Road opened in 1925.
Oregon Historical Society / Steve Lehl, July 12, 2015
5. Marker detail: Hood River Hotel & Columbia Gorge Hotel
Lumber baron Simon Benson built the Columbia Gorge Hotel on a cliff overlooking the river in 1921 for $500,000.
The hotel catered to upscale clientele serving dainty lunches and salmon dinners. In the center of town, the Hood River Hotel provided accommodations for commercial travelers.
circa 1910
6. Steamer Landing, Hood River, Oregon.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 12, 2015
7. Hood River Marker (wide view)
Credits. This page was last revised on November 3, 2020. It was originally submitted on February 10, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 198 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 10, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 3. submitted on February 11, 2018. 4, 5. submitted on February 10, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 6. submitted on February 11, 2018. 7. submitted on February 10, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
