Hood River, Oregon

The city of Hood River is the seat of Hood River County, Oregon, United States. It is a port on the Columbia River, and is named for the nearby Hood River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,167.[6]

Hood River, Oregon
City
Aerial photo of the city of Hood River
Seal
Nickname(s): 
Windsurfing Capital of the World[1]
Location in Oregon
Hood River, Oregon
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 45°42′24″N 121°31′18″W
CountryUnited States
StateOregon
CountyHood River
Incorporated1895
Government
 • MayorKate McBride
Area
 • Total3.38 sq mi (8.76 km2)
 • Land2.59 sq mi (6.72 km2)
 • Water0.79 sq mi (2.04 km2)
Elevation
160 ft (50 m)
Population
 • Total7,167
 • Estimate 
(2019)[4]
7,801
 • Density3,007.32/sq mi (1,161.01/km2)
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (Pacific)
ZIP code
97031
Area code(s)458 and 541
FIPS code41-34900[3]
GNIS feature ID1136388[5]
Websitewww.cityofhoodriver.gov/

History

Hood River (originally called cat River) post office was established (named by Mary Coe) at the site of the present city on September 29, 1868,[7] and the city itself was incorporated in 1895.[8] Originally, the city was part of Wasco County, but it became the seat of Hood River County when the county was first established in 1908.[9]

Hood River Incident

The Hood River incident involved the removal of sixteen Nisei servicemen's names from the county "roll of honor" in Hood River, Oregon, by the local American Legion Post 22. The incident on November 30, 1954, was part of a string of anti-Japanese actions taken in an attempt to prevent removed Japanese Americans from returning to the area after their release from internment by the United States federal government. National outrage against the community heightened five weeks later when a local Japanese American serviceman died after completing a heroic mission in the Philippines. Under great pressure, the local American Legion post restored Nisei names to the wall of the county courthouse on April 28, 1945.[10]

Geography

Hood River is at the confluence of the Hood River and the Columbia River in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge. The city is about 30 miles (48 km) north of Mount Hood, the tallest peak in the state. It is across the Columbia River from White Salmon, Washington. South of the city is the Hood River Valley, known for its production of apples, pears, and cherries.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.35 square miles (8.68 km2), of which 2.55 square miles (6.60 km2) is land and 0.80 square miles (2.07 km2) is water.[11]

Climate

Located at the transition zone between wet temperate rainforest to the west, and dry shrub-steppe desert to the east, Hood River has a moderate climate with rainy winters and warm summers, although rainfall there is somewhat less than Portland and other nearby areas in the Willamette Valley. Hood River averages around 30 inches (760 mm) of precipitation a year, while Cascade Locks, 20 miles (32 km) west, receives over 75 inches (1,900 mm),[12] and The Dalles, 20 miles (32 km) east, less than 15 inches (380 mm).[13] The area is known for its consistently high winds channeling down the Columbia River Gorge.

Temperatures for the year as a whole are slightly cooler than most other low-elevation towns in the region, especially at night due to air drainage off the surrounding mountains.

Climate data for Hood River, Oregon
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 42.1
(5.6)		 47.1
(8.4)		 54.8
(12.7)		 61.2
(16.2)		 68.7
(20.4)		 74.4
(23.6)		 81.7
(27.6)		 82.2
(27.9)		 76.1
(24.5)		 63.5
(17.5)		 49.4
(9.7)		 40.2
(4.6)		 61.8
(16.6)
Daily mean °F (°C) 36.1
(2.3)		 38.8
(3.8)		 44.9
(7.2)		 50.0
(10.0)		 56.8
(13.8)		 62.3
(16.8)		 68.0
(20.0)		 67.7
(19.8)		 61.0
(16.1)		 50.8
(10.4)		 41.7
(5.4)		 34.8
(1.6)		 51.1
(10.6)
Average low °F (°C) 30.2
(−1.0)		 30.6
(−0.8)		 34.9
(1.6)		 38.8
(3.8)		 44.8
(7.1)		 50.3
(10.2)		 54.4
(12.4)		 53.3
(11.8)		 45.9
(7.7)		 38.0
(3.3)		 34.1
(1.2)		 29.4
(−1.4)		 40.4
(4.7)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 5.21
(132)		 3.97
(101)		 2.98
(76)		 1.76
(45)		 1.30
(33)		 0.87
(22)		 0.29
(7.4)		 0.31
(7.9)		 0.95
(24)		 2.26
(57)		 5.41
(137)		 5.98
(152)		 31.30
(795)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 8.3
(21)		 6.0
(15)		 0.8
(2.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.1
(0.25)		 2.1
(5.3)		 8.2
(21)		 25.5
(65)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in.) 18.6 14.9 15.4 12.7 9.3 6.2 2.2 2.2 4.7 10.7 19.2 18.1 134.1
Source: NOAA [14]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1880200—
18902010.5%
1900766281.1%
19102,331204.3%
19203,19537.1%
19302,757−13.7%
19403,28019.0%
19503,70112.8%
19603,657−1.2%
19703,9919.1%
19804,3298.5%
19904,6327.0%
20005,83125.9%
20107,16722.9%
2019 (est.)7,801[4]8.8%
source:[15][16]

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 7,167 people, 2,972 households, and 1,728 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,810.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,085.2/km2). There were 3,473 housing units at an average density of 1,362.0 per square mile (525.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was:

There were 2,972 households, of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.9% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.12.[3]

The median age in the city was 36.3 years. 25.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 30.6% were from 25 to 44; 23.5% were from 45 to 64; and 12.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.[3]

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,831 people, 2,429 households, and 1,442 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,839.4 people per square mile (1,098.2 per km2). There were 2,645 housing units at an average density of 1,288.0 per square mile (498.2 per km2). The racial makeup of the city was:

  • 57.66% White
  • 23.17% Hispanic or Latino
  • 1.15% Asian
  • 0.99% Native American
  • 0.60% African American
  • 0.19% Pacific Islander
  • 13.58% from other races
  • 2.66% from two or more races.[3]

There were 2,429 households, of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.6% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.06.[3]

In the city, the population was spread out, with:

  • 26.2% under the age of 18
  • 9.7% from 18 to 24
  • 32.6% from 25 to 44
  • 18.5% from 45 to 64
  • 13.1% 65 years of age or older.[3]

The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.[3]

The median income for a household in the city was $31,580, and the median income for a family was $35,568. Males had a median income of $31,583 versus $24,764 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,609. About 12.1% of families and 17.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.7% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.[3]

Economy
Windsurfers on the Columbia River

Hood River's economy has traditionally been based on three industries: agriculture, tourism, and sports recreation, but since the late 1990s, high-tech industries, such as aerospace engineering (e.g. Insitu and Hood Technologies), have become some of the largest employers.[17][18] Long an agricultural center of the Pacific Northwest, Hood River historically was a hub of logging exports and fruit tree orchards. While lumber was the primary export for Hood River throughout most of its history, with the advent of forest protection measures such as the establishment of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Hood River has exchanged most of its former tree cutting agricultural ways to focus more heavily on its apple and pear orchards as well as many wineries.[19] Many of these local orchards and wineries, including Hood River-based The Fruit Company, are featured on Hood River's renowned "Fruit Loop".[20]

Hood River first experienced a boom in tourism after being discovered as a site for world-class windsurfing, and more recently kiteboarding.[21] Hood River County also has some of the best kayaking, mountain biking, downhill and Nordic skiing, and hiking areas in the United States.[22]

Situated in the Columbia Gorge, and surrounded by fields, orchards, vineyards, and at the foot of Mount Hood, Hood River is a popular tourist destination.[23]

All of these factors have led to positive news coverage in publications such as National Geographic Adventure, Sunset, Outside, Backpacker, Smithsonian, the New York Times travel section, and others.[24][25] Hood River has received numerous awards from national magazines, such as "coolest small town" to "fifth best ski-town in America".[24] Most recently, Hood River was featured on CNN as one of "11 great riverfront towns" in the United States.[26]

Other industries in the city include Hood River Distillers, the Encore Consumer Capital owned Full Sail Brewing Company, a major Oregon microbrewery, the clothing and sports equipment manufacturer DaKine, and vegetarian food manufacturer Turtle Island Foods, producer of Tofurky. The Hood River Valley is also home to more than a dozen wineries.[27]

Arts and culture
Bicyclists in downtown Hood River

Situated against a backdrop of the spectacular Cascade Mountains and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Hood River has become a creative incubator and world-class arts destination, home to a notable concentration of visual and performing artists, writers, design professionals, business creatives, and culinary establishments. In 2018, Hood River was listed as the number four small city in the Arts Vibrancy Index, released by the National Center for Arts Research at Southern Methodist University.[28]

Among the arts organizations in the city is the Performing Arts Initiative, a non-profit group founded in 2016 with the goal of "building a state of the art performing arts center" in the Columbia River Gorge.[29] The group's chair, Mark Steighner, was the musical director of Hood River Valley High School before retiring to head the PAI.[30]

Also based in Hood River is the Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association (CGOA), a non-profit organization that includes six ensembles. The CGOA initially consisted solely of the Mid-Columbia Sinfonietta, which began performing in 1977 in conjunction with the Chamber Music Society of Oregon. The association was formed in 2004, adding two choirs, a jazz collective, a string quartet, and a theater group throughout the next ten years.[31]

A small town with good walkability, Hood River is home to a public art walking tour and six diverse art galleries all within the small 'downtown' area. BIG ART, the public art walking tour hosted by Art of Community (established in 2014), periodically rotates sculptures and other outdoor art installations throughout the town.[32]

Hood River's First Friday Art Walk is a grassroots creative movement to have a regularly coinciding event celebrating the vibrant art, culture, and community in the heart of Hood River. On the first Friday of each month, many of the town's galleries and businesses stay open after hours, meeting the flow of visitors to myriad microbreweries and wine tasting rooms with art openings, live music, art talks, demos, and more.

Many local artists also participate in the Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour, an annual self-guided tour of juried Columbia River Gorge artist studios, established in 2006, that occurs during Blossom Time. On the Tour weekend, artists open their private studios, sharing their work, thoughts, and processes with the public.[33]

Hood River is also home to Columbia Center for the Arts, a community funded arts center that offers theatre, visual art, classes, and community events.[34]

Culinary arts in Hood River include an abundance of microbreweries, wineries, cideries, and restaurants offering agricultural fare from the bounty of surrounding vineyards, orchards, and farms.

Annual events

Annual cultural events in the Hood River Valley include Hood River Valley Blossom Time[35] and the Hood River Hard-Pressed Cider Fest,[36] which take place in April, as well as the Hood River Hops Fest[37] and the Hood River Valley Harvest Fest,[38] both in October. In 2012, FoodandWine.com identified the Harvest Fest as one of the best harvest festivals in the United States.[39]

The oldest swimming event on the Columbia River, the Roy Webster Cross-Channel Swim, takes place in Hood River every Labor Day. The event has been held nearly continuously since 1942, with the first cancellation occurring in 2017 due to the Eagle Creek Fire.[40] The U.S. Windsurfing National Championships were held in Hood River in 2001,[41] 2009,[42] and 2012,[43] and the Mount Hood Cycling Classic was held in the city from 2002 to 2013.[44]

Museums and other points of interest
The Columbia Gorge Hotel, listed on the National Register of Historic Places

Hood River is home to the History Museum of Hood River County and the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum; the International Museum of Carousel Art was also housed in the city until its closure in 2010. The city has over two dozen sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places (due in large part to the work of Sally Donovan, a local historian[45]), including the Columbia Gorge Hotel, built in 1920 by Portland timber baron and Columbia Gorge booster Simon Benson.

The oldest house in the city is the Ezra L. Smith home, which he built in 1886 for his family. Smith was influential in state politics, in Oregon agricultural development, in Hood River city administration, and in banking. The house later served as a funeral home for over 40 years and is now the site of wine production and tastings for Stoltz Vineyards.[46]

Parks and recreation

Hood River is the western gateway to the Mount Hood Scenic Byway and to a major section of the Historic Columbia River Highway. Hood River is considered a "sports mecca" and offers some of the best spots for windsurfing, kitesurfing, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, skiing and mountain biking—all for which it draws considerable national attention from many media outlets, such as the New York Times and National Geographic Adventure.[47][48] The Port Commission has built a protected harbor for learning windsurfing called "The Hook".[49] The city also features the family and wind-sport friendly Waterfront Park, a public pool, skate park, biking trails, and several small public parks and ball fields.[50][51] The valley is also home to two 18-hole golf courses.

Education

Public primary and secondary schools in Hood River are part of the Hood River County School District. Representing the change in town culture is the new garden, greenhouse and zero-energy music and science building at Hood River Middle School as part of the new Outdoor Classroom Project. The city is also served by an extension campus of Columbia Gorge Community College, based in The Dalles. Horizon Christian School is a private school serving grades kindergarten through twelfth grade (K–12). Horizon competes at the 1A level of the Oregon School Activities Association, while the public Hood River Valley High School competes at the 5A level. The city also is home to the Mid-Columbia Adventist School.

Media

Newspapers

The Hood River News is a semi-weekly paper published by Eagle Newspapers on Wednesdays and Saturdays.[52]

Radio

Television

Magazines

Two locally published magazines serve the area. Columbia Gorge Magazine and The Gorge Magazine are monthly magazines featuring recreation, dining, shopping, weddings, architecture, arts and entertainment taking place in the Columbia Gorge area (primarily Hood River, The Dalles, and Troutdale).[53]

Infrastructure
Hood River Bridge

Transportation
Air

Hood River has one airport, the Ken Jernstedt Airfield. It has no scheduled airline service and is for light general aviation use. However, Portland International Airport is a one-hour drive west from Hood River.

Highway

Interstate 84 and Oregon Route 35 pass through Hood River.

Rail

Hood River is the northern terminus of the Mount Hood Railroad, a heritage railway that offers passenger excursions from Hood River station and ships a small amount of freight. Union Pacific Railroad provides freight service to the city.[54] The Union Pacific Railroad also had passenger service to Hood River for much of the 20th century, while Amtrak's Pioneer also served the city from 1977 to 1997 at Hood River station.

Bus

Hood River receives national bus service from Greyhound Lines. Columbia Area Transit provides three buses to The Dalles every weekday, and a round-trip service to Portland on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Marine

The Port of Hood River, founded in 1933, manages a public marina and waterfront economic development projects.[55] The port commission also manages the airport and the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge.

Utilities

Water and wastewater treatment are supplied by the City of Hood River.[54] Natural gas is provided by NW Natural and electricity comes from PacifiCorp.[54]

Healthcare

Hood River has one hospital, Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital.[54]

Notable people

Sister cities

Hood River has one sister city,[56] as designated by Sister Cities International:

References
  1. "Windsurfing and Kiteboarding the Columbia River Gorge". TravelOregon.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-13. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
  2. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-12-21.
  4. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  5. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. "Population Research Center" (PDF). Portland State University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-06-26. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
  7. McArthur, Lewis A.; Lewis L. McArthur (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. p. 477. ISBN 0-87595-277-1.
  8. Marschner, Janice (July 10, 2007). Oregon 1859: A Snapshot in Time. Timber Press. pp. 233–236. ISBN 978-0881928730. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  9. Corning, Howard M., ed. (1956). Dictionary of Oregon History. Portland, Oregon: Binfords & Mort Publishing. p. 118.
  10. "Hood River incident". Retrieved 2019-07-06.
  11. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2012-12-21.
  12. http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?or1407
  13. http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?orthed
  14. "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2012-07-20.
  15. Moffatt, Riley. Population History of Western U.S. Cities & Towns, 1850-1990. Lanham: Scarecrow, 1996, 211.
  16. "Subcounty population estimates: Oregon 2000-2007". United States Census Bureau, Population Division. 2009-03-18. Archived from the original (CSV) on 2009-05-15. Retrieved 2009-05-03.
  17. "Drones are Ready for Takeoff". Smithsonian magazine. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  18. "…It Came From The Gorge". Willamette Week newspaper. Archived from the original on March 5, 2010. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
  19. "Mount Hood & The Gorge". TravelOregon.com. Archived from the original on 2009-04-23. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
  20. "Hood River Country Fruit Loop". Hood River County. Archived from the original on 2014-01-10.
  21. Vinh, Tan (July 10, 2008). "Gorge Games spotlight Hood River as a multisport mecca". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
  22. http://gonw.about.com/od/attractionswa/ss/hoodriver_2.htm
  23. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-04-28. Retrieved 2008-09-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  24. "Discover Hood River: Hood River In The News". Hood River County Chamber of Commerce. Spring 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
  25. Weber, Bruce. "Hood River". The New York Times.
  26. Barker, Aaron (July 20, 2012). "11 great riverfront towns". CNN.
  27. http://www.winesnw.com/gorgemap.html
  28. "The Hotbeds of America's Arts and Culture, Ranked". MCS.SMU.edu. Southern Methodist University. July 12, 2018. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  29. "Performing Arts Initiative schedules second Business Consortium event, Feb. 6". HoodRiverNews.com. Hood River News. January 16, 2019. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  30. "Performing Arts Initiative hosts second town hall". HoodRiverNews.com. Hood River News. September 21, 2016. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  31. Cook, Janet (Spring 2016). "Beethoven in the Gorge". The Gorge Magazine. pp. 70–71. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  32. "Art of Community". Art of Community. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  33. "Gorge Artists". Gorge Artists. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  34. "Columbia Center for the Arts". Columbia Center for the Arts. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  35. "Hood River Valley Blossom Time". HoodRiver.org. Hood River County Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  36. "Hood River Hard-Pressed Cider Fest". HoodRiver.org. Hood River County Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  37. "Hood River Hops Fest". HoodRiver.org. Hood River County Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  38. "Hood River Valley Harvest Fest". HoodRiver.org. Hood River County Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  39. Sterling, Justine. "Best Harvest Festivals". FoodandWine.com. Food & Wine. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  40. "Roy Webster Cross-Channel Swim Does a Second Lap on Its 75th Anniversary Celebration This Labor Day" (PDF). HoodRiver.org. Hood River County Chamber of Commerce. August 21, 2018. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  41. "Windsurfing finals return to the Gorge". WhiteSalmonEnterprise.com. White Salmon Enterprise. August 15, 2001. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  42. "Bruce Peterson takes the 2009 US Windsurfing National Championships". SurferToday.com. Surfer Today. July 28, 2009. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  43. Klein, Elisa (July 19, 2012). "U.S. Windsurfing Nationals Set for Next Week in the Gorge". PortlandSocietyPage.com. Portland Society Page. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  44. Morical, Mark (April 28, 2018). "As many other events fade away, organizers are confident the Cascade Cycling Classic will continue". BendBulletin.com. Bend Bulletin. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  45. "Dethman House Sketch by Sally Donovan". historichoodriver.com. The History Museum of Hood River County. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  46. "Stoltz Winery – The Winery". StoltzWinery.com. Stoltz Winery. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  47. "50 Best Places to Live: The Next Great Adventure Towns". National Geographic Adventure. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
  48. "Best Places to Live: Where to Live and Play Now!". National Geographic Adventure. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
  49. http://abkboardsports.com/lessons/gorge
  50. http://www.hoodriverparksandrec.org/
  51. http://www.hoodriverwaterfront.com/
  52. Hood River News
  53. http://columbiagorge.com/
  54. Hood River profile from Oregon Economic & Community Development Department
  55. Port of Hood River
  56. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2006-05-02. Retrieved 2006-06-10.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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