Hood River’s Famous Activities and History

Hood River is a city that occupies the transition zone between the temperate wet western Oregon and the dry high plateau of eastern Oregon. It shares its name with Hood River which plummets from Mount Hood through Hood River Valley to the Columbia River. It is also where one of the best spas that you could ever visit -Spa Remedease- is located and here is a brief history of this great city.

• In the Beginning

For a long time in the past, The Columbia Gorge was a sea-level passage through the cascade mountains. Salmon passed through this area to get to their spawning grounds and this attracted the Wasco, Warm Springs and Watlalas people to this area. The strong winds which funnel through the Gorge and the summer breeze in the area, helped the native people dry their salmon catches effectively. This was how human habitation began to grow around Hood River.  

• The Naming

Hood River was first name Labeasche River after François Labiche who was an expedition member but the name did not stick and it was later known as Dog river. Nathaniel Coe and his wife Mary who claimed the land near Dog River in 1854 and built a house are responsible for the name Hood River. Mary was the one who rechristened the river and the Coes also planted the first orchard in the area. From here, a small but prosperous settlement developed and it was formally incorporated in 1895. The main economy was dominated by agriculture and logging. Japanese were most times hired to work on the logging.

• Steamboats, Railways and The Highway

Steamboats arrived in the area in 1882, bringing along with them the first train and the completion of the Columbia River highway. This enabled market-oriented agriculture and soon, apples and pears were being packed and shipped from Hood River. By 1910, Hood River had about 8000 people including 468 Japanese and Japanese American citizens.

• World War II

World War II was a bad time for the Japanese and Japanese Americans who resided in Hood River as they were ordered to relocate to Portland and had their lands taken from them. After the war, the rebuilt their lives in the area despite widespread discrimination.

• The Late 20th Century

In the late 20th century, Hood River experienced a lot of changes that led to the huge sawmill companies being at a disadvantage and eventually, even the small sawmills folded or sold out. One of those challenges was the listing of the Northern Spotted Owl as an endangered species. Horticulture, however, survived in this era partly because of the low-paid laborers which were sourced from Mexico and Latin America.

Hood River still has the highest number of Hispanics in Oregon today. Jobs in the tourism industry also replaced the logging jobs and sailboarders arrived to take advantage of the bad economy and the Gorge winds. Cloud Cap Inn which was opened in 1889 and The Columbia Gorge Hotel which was opened in 1920, suddenly dominated the local economy and the county’s population began to grow. 

• Nowadays

Tourism and the Federal Government play an important part today in Hood River as reflected in the many art galleries, wineries, festivals, breweries, national forest, and national scenic areas. A visit to Hood River today is a visit to an area ripe with history, art, and nature and you won’t regret it.

While in Hood River, don’t forget to pay a visit to us at Hood River for an unforgettable spa experience. We’re located in the Columbia Gorge Hotel and would love to hear from you. Contact us today!