 Hood
River County - At
the turn of the twentieth century, the people of the Hood River region in the
northwest portion of Wasco County expressed a desire for political separation
from the parent county. The passage of a statewide initiative established Hood
River as the thirty-fourth county of the state. It was made official by a governor's
proclamation on June 23, 1908. Hood River County was named after Hood River and
Mt. Hood which are both located within its boundaries. Mt. Hood was named in 1792
after Lord Hood (Samuel) who, among other things, served in the British Navy during
the American Revolutionary War. The
county's boundaries have remained unchanged throughout its existence. It is bordered
by Wasco County to the east, by Clackamas and Multnomah Counties to the west,
and by the Columbia River to the north. Hood River County is the second smallest
county in terms of size in the state, outranking only Multnomah County, with a
total area of 533 square miles. The
City of Hood River, first platted in 1881, has been the county seat since the
county's creation. The first county courthouse was an old primary school building.
In 1937, after failing to approve a new courthouse, the county was forced to purchase
the Butler Bank Building which housed the county government until 1954 when the
present courthouse was constructed. Initially,
county officials included the county judge, two county commissioners, sheriff,
clerk, treasurer, assessor, school superintendent, surveyor, and coroner. In 1964,
Hood River County adopted the home rule form of government. A five-member elected
board of commissioners creates ordinances and resolutions to govern the county.
The commission appoints a county administrator to oversee operations of county
services. Except for an elected sheriff, all county department heads are selected
by and responsible to the commission. Several specialized advisory boards, committees,
and commissions give the board advice and recommendations concerning various county
services. The
2000 population of Hood River County was 20,411. This represented a 20.75% increase
from 1990. The
first permanent settlers in Hood River County filed a donation land claim in 1854;
by 1880 seventeen families lived in the region. By the latter part of the nineteenth
century farmers of Japanese, Finnish, German, and French ethnicity had settled
in the valley. The Columbia River Highway was completed in 1922 from Portland
to The Dalles, making the towns of Hood River County more accessible to people
and commerce from throughout the Columbia River Gorge and the state. The
principal industries of Hood River include agriculture, timber, hydroelectric
production, and recreation. The fertile Hood River Valley has an ideal climate
for the production of apples, cherries, peaches, and pears. It also offers recreational
activities such as snow skiing, yachting, and fishing which bring both people
and capital to compensate for the decline in logging and hydroelectric production.
The Columbia River near Hood River is a premier windsurfing area and attracts
windsurfers from throughout the United States and around the world. |
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|  Accessible
from eastbound Interstate 84 in western Hood River County, tiny Starvation Creek
State Park is an oasis from the blur of the freeway. Its 180 foot high waterfall
and the numerous adjacent trails highlight the beauty of the Columbia River Gorge.
But the park's name tells of a desperate experience for many travelers during
a terrible blizzard.
The
Pacific Express train carrying 148 passengers and crew rolled out of The Dalles
heading west on schedule to arrive in Portland later that day, December 18, 1884.
Along the way a blizzard trapped the train between two avalanches with 25 foot
high snow drifts. A relief party finally reached them on Christmas Day by foot.
Among those helping the hungry passengers was "one hog who had the misfortune
of being in Hood River at the time." A week later the train was able to retreat
to The Dalles. It finally reached Portland three weeks late on January 7, 1885. |
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Fruit
Loop in the Hood River Valley
Take a 35-mile scenic meander through
the fruit orchards, small towns, and back roads of the Hood River Valley. Experience
Oregon's largest fruit growing region. |
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