Parkdale
We're taking the scenic Parkdale route, to Parkdale, and the Kiyokawa orchards and fruit stand.
In Parkdale, we'll see:
In 1943, Mount Hood, and the Cascades, was bustling with activity, its logging industry playing a crucial role in the war effort. The dense forests of the Pacific Northwest provided an endless supply of timber, which was in high demand for military construction. Log trucks, rugged and powerful, were a common sight rumbling down the dirt roads.
Picture a convoy of massive trucks loaded with freshly cut Douglas fir logs, their thick trunks stacked high and secured with heavy chains. The trucks, built for durability, were covered in a layer of dust and mud from the winding mountain roads. Drivers, dressed in flannel shirts, wool jackets, and worn caps, sat behind the wheel, navigating the treacherous terrain with skill and precision. Each truck bore the signs of hard labor—dings in the metal, faded paint, and the smell of pine sap and exhaust lingering in the air.
As the trucks made their way through North Bend, they passed small timber camps and sawmills where men worked tirelessly, cutting and processing the wood. The sound of chainsaws, the whirring of saw blades, and the shouts of workers filled the atmosphere, all contributing to the intense demand for lumber that would support the construction of barracks, ships, and other wartime infrastructure.
The scene was a testament to the grit and determination of Mount Hood’s loggers, whose hard work was critical to both the local economy and the nation's war effort during the coming World War II.
The first people who lived in this valley were the Dog River Indians, now part of the Wasco Tribe. They lived a rich life because they know the land.
They lived in comfortable lodges along the banks of the Columbia River, near the present-day town of Hood River. These peaceful people spent winters at home with their extended families. At other times of the year, they lived in harmony with the harvest of natural foods, and some or all made excursions to traditional hunting and gathering places. The women dug root foods in spring to last through the winter. Everyone, even elders and babies joined in the picking of edible berries late in the summer. Men hunted animals and fished for salmon in the cooler days of all. This seasonal cycle of harvest is continued today in the Wasco Tribe.
Most of our summer songbirds are migratory. They breed and nest in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, but spend winters in South and Central America. To many Indian people, the Bullock's Oriole or Wowshuxkluh (literally, "throws (fruit) down"), is a sacred symbol who calls to the salmon, telling the fish it is time to prepare to come up the river.
Fish and wildlife migrate with the seasons. Even resident species migrate within the local area.
A breeze meanders up the Hood River, carrying animal scents and birdsongs, gently lifting cottonwood leaves to reveal silver undersides. In its endless journey, the river rushes, riffles and glides towards the Columbia, the Big River. Our fish and wildlife neighbors live their lives intertwined with this natural system.
Though the elk and deer herds reside in the Mt. Hood area year round, they must move between summer and winter homes in order to survive. In the spring and summer they inhabit the cool hills, and in winter travel to low, snow-free places.
In the underwater world, salmon have an intricate life cycle. Once hatched in freshwater streams, juvenile fish swim out to the ocean via the Columbia River. They live in the saltwater of the ocean for up to six years. Mature salmon migrate thousands of miles and must overcome natural and human-made obstacles; fishing boats, sport anglers, pollution, dams, and natural predators, to return to the place of their beginning.
Learn more, within the park, and HERE
Finally.
We will have enough time to, take a quick look inside the museum, and walk around the park. Anything more will have to be an extension of your tour time. Please inquire.
Does anyone have any questions?
In Parkdale, we'll see:
- The terminus for the Mt. Hood Railroad
- Clear Creek Park, with the Ries Thompson house, Hutson Museum, a 1928 Federal Big 6 Log Truck, a playable antique piano, and a plaque depicting world history, a World's 1st.
- We'll learn about the 1st people who lived here, and about the wildlife.
In 1943, Mount Hood, and the Cascades, was bustling with activity, its logging industry playing a crucial role in the war effort. The dense forests of the Pacific Northwest provided an endless supply of timber, which was in high demand for military construction. Log trucks, rugged and powerful, were a common sight rumbling down the dirt roads.
Picture a convoy of massive trucks loaded with freshly cut Douglas fir logs, their thick trunks stacked high and secured with heavy chains. The trucks, built for durability, were covered in a layer of dust and mud from the winding mountain roads. Drivers, dressed in flannel shirts, wool jackets, and worn caps, sat behind the wheel, navigating the treacherous terrain with skill and precision. Each truck bore the signs of hard labor—dings in the metal, faded paint, and the smell of pine sap and exhaust lingering in the air.
As the trucks made their way through North Bend, they passed small timber camps and sawmills where men worked tirelessly, cutting and processing the wood. The sound of chainsaws, the whirring of saw blades, and the shouts of workers filled the atmosphere, all contributing to the intense demand for lumber that would support the construction of barracks, ships, and other wartime infrastructure.
The scene was a testament to the grit and determination of Mount Hood’s loggers, whose hard work was critical to both the local economy and the nation's war effort during the coming World War II.
The first people who lived in this valley were the Dog River Indians, now part of the Wasco Tribe. They lived a rich life because they know the land.
They lived in comfortable lodges along the banks of the Columbia River, near the present-day town of Hood River. These peaceful people spent winters at home with their extended families. At other times of the year, they lived in harmony with the harvest of natural foods, and some or all made excursions to traditional hunting and gathering places. The women dug root foods in spring to last through the winter. Everyone, even elders and babies joined in the picking of edible berries late in the summer. Men hunted animals and fished for salmon in the cooler days of all. This seasonal cycle of harvest is continued today in the Wasco Tribe.
Most of our summer songbirds are migratory. They breed and nest in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, but spend winters in South and Central America. To many Indian people, the Bullock's Oriole or Wowshuxkluh (literally, "throws (fruit) down"), is a sacred symbol who calls to the salmon, telling the fish it is time to prepare to come up the river.
Fish and wildlife migrate with the seasons. Even resident species migrate within the local area.
A breeze meanders up the Hood River, carrying animal scents and birdsongs, gently lifting cottonwood leaves to reveal silver undersides. In its endless journey, the river rushes, riffles and glides towards the Columbia, the Big River. Our fish and wildlife neighbors live their lives intertwined with this natural system.
Though the elk and deer herds reside in the Mt. Hood area year round, they must move between summer and winter homes in order to survive. In the spring and summer they inhabit the cool hills, and in winter travel to low, snow-free places.
In the underwater world, salmon have an intricate life cycle. Once hatched in freshwater streams, juvenile fish swim out to the ocean via the Columbia River. They live in the saltwater of the ocean for up to six years. Mature salmon migrate thousands of miles and must overcome natural and human-made obstacles; fishing boats, sport anglers, pollution, dams, and natural predators, to return to the place of their beginning.
Learn more, within the park, and HERE
Finally.
We will have enough time to, take a quick look inside the museum, and walk around the park. Anything more will have to be an extension of your tour time. Please inquire.
Does anyone have any questions?
