The city of Hood River is the

seat A seat is a place to sit. The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but also headquarters in a wider sense. Types of seat The following are examples of different kinds of seat: * Armchair, a chair ...

of Hood River County,

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

, United States. It is a

port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...

on the

Columbia River The Columbia River ( Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia ...

, and is named for the nearby Hood River. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 8,313. It is the only city in Oregon where public consumption of alcohol on sidewalks or parks is totally unrestricted.

History

Hood River (originally called Dog River) post office was established (named by Mary Coe) at the site of the present city on September 30, 1868, and the city itself was incorporated in 1895. 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.

The Hood River Incident

The Hood River incident involved the removal of sixteen

Nisei is a Japanese-language term used in countries in North America and South America to specify the ethnically Japanese children born in the new country to Japanese-born immigrants (who are called ). The are considered the second generation, ...

servicemen's names from the county "roll of honor" in Hood River, Oregon, by the loca
American Legion Post 22
The incident on November 29, 1944, 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 Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simp ...

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 29, 1945.

Geography

Hood River is at the confluence of the Hood River and the

in the heart of the

Columbia River Gorge The Columbia River Gorge is a canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Up to deep, the canyon stretches for over as the river winds westward through the Cascade Range, forming the boundary between the st ...

. The city is about north of

Mount Hood Mount Hood is a potentially active stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc. It was formed by a subduction zone on the Pacific coast and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located about east-southeast of Portl ...

, 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 United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Climate

Located at the transition zone between wet

temperate rainforest Temperate rainforests are coniferous or broadleaf forests that occur in the temperate zone and receive heavy rain. Temperate rain forests occur in oceanic moist regions around the world: the Pacific temperate rain forests of North American ...

to the west, and dry shrub-steppe desert to the east, Hood River has a moderate climate with rainy winters and warm summers ( Köppen: Csb), although rainfall there is somewhat less than Portland and other nearby areas in the

Willamette Valley The Willamette Valley ( ) is a long valley in Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The Willamette River flows the entire length of the valley and is surrounded by mountains on three sides: the Cascade Range to the eas ...

. Hood River averages around of precipitation a year, while Cascade Locks, west, receives over , and The Dalles, east, less than . The area is known for its consistently high winds channeling down the

. 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.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2010, there were 7,167 people, 2,972 households, and 1,728 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was . There were 3,473 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was: *86.9%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

*24.4%

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino, *0.5%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, *0.6% Native American, *1.5% Asian, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, *7.4% from other races, and *3.0% from two or more races. There were 2,972 households, of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

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. 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.

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 km). There were 2,645 housing units at an average density of 1,288.0 per square mile (498.2 per km). 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $17,609. About 12.1% of families and 17.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 28.7% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Windsurfers (Hood River County, Oregon scenic images) (hooDA0021a)

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 Insitu Inc. is an American company that designs, develops and manufactures unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, and has several offices in the United States, the United Ki ...

and Hood Technologies), have become some of the largest employers. Long an agricultural center of the

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Thou ...

, Hood River historically was a hub of

logging Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars. Logging is the beginning of a supply cha ...

exports and fruit tree

orchard An orchard is an intentional plantation of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit- or nut-producing trees which are generally grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of ...

s. While lumber was the primary export for Hood River throughout most of its history, with the advent of

forest protection Forest protection is a branch of forestry which is concerned with the preservation or improvement of a forest and prevention and control of damage to forest by natural or man made causes like forest fires, plant pests, and adverse climatic cond ...

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. Many of these local orchards and wineries, including Hood River-based

The Fruit Company The Fruit Company is an American company that was founded in 1942 by Roy Webster. The company, still privately owned and led by CEO Scott Webster, has become known for their "classic baskets and gift towers featuring Northwest-grown pears and apple ...

, are featured on Hood River's renowned "Fruit Loop". Hood River first experienced a boom in tourism after being discovered as a site for world-class

windsurfing Windsurfing is a wind propelled water sport that is a combination of sailing and surfing. It is also referred to as "sailboarding" and "boardsailing", and emerged in the late 1960s from the aerospace and surf culture of California. Windsurfing ga ...

, and more recently kiteboarding. Hood River County also has some of the best kayaking, mountain biking, downhill and Nordic skiing, and hiking areas in the United States. Situated in the

Columbia Gorge The Columbia River Gorge is a canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Up to deep, the canyon stretches for over as the river winds westward through the Cascade Range, forming the boundary between the state ...

, and surrounded by fields, orchards, vineyards, and at the foot of Mount Hood, Hood River is a popular tourist destination. All of these factors have led to positive news coverage in publications such as ''

National Geographic Adventure Nat Geo People was an international pay television channel owned by National Geographic Partners, a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (73%) and the National Geographic Society (27%). Targeted at female audiences, with programming ...

'', ''

Sunset Sunset, also known as sundown, is the daily disappearance of the Sun below the horizon due to Earth's rotation. As viewed from everywhere on Earth (except the North and South poles), the equinox Sun sets due west at the moment of both the spr ...

'', '' Outside'', '' Backpacker'', '' Smithsonian'', the ''New York Times'' travel section, and others. Hood River has received numerous awards from national magazines, such as "coolest small town" to "fifth best ski-town in America". Most recently, Hood River was featured on CNN as one of "11 great riverfront towns" in the United States. Other industries in the city include

Hood River Distillers Hood River Distillers is an importer, producer, bottler, and marketer of spirits based in the U.S. State of Oregon. History Established in 1934 in Hood River, Oregon by Ted Pooley and Ned Marshall, Hood River Distillers received the first state d ...

, the Encore Consumer Capital owned Full Sail Brewing Company, and vegetarian food manufacturer

Turtle Island Foods Turtle Island Foods is an American company founded in 1980 in Forest Grove, Oregon and headquartered in Hood River, which produces Tofurky, a popular vegetarian and vegan alternative to turkey, as well other meatless products. All of the company' ...

, producer of Tofurky. The Hood River Valley is also home to more than a dozen wineries.

Arts and culture

Hood River Bicyclists (Hood River County, Oregon scenic images) (hooD0006a)

Situated against a backdrop of the spectacular

Cascade Mountains The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, a ...

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 , mottoeng = " The truth will make you free" , established = , type = Private research university , accreditation = SACS , academic_affiliations = , religious_affiliation = United Methodist Church , president = R. Gerald Turner , p ...

. 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

. The group's chair, Mark Steighner, was the musical director of

Hood River Valley High School Hood River Valley High School is a public high school in Hood River, Oregon, United States. It opened in September 1970 as the result of a consolidation of the former Hood River and Wy'East high schools. Academics Hood River Valley High Schoo ...

before retiring to head the PAI. 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. 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 b
Art of Community
(established in 2014), periodically rotates sculptures and other outdoor art installations throughout the town. 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 durin
Blossom Time
On the Tour weekend, artists open their private studios, sharing their work, thoughts, and processes with the public. Hood River is also home t
Columbia Center for the Arts
a community funded arts center that offers theatre, visual art, classes, and community events. Culinary arts in Hood River include an abundance of microbreweries, wineries, cideries, and restaurants offering agricultural fare from the bounty o
surrounding vineyards, orchards, and farms

Annual events

Annual cultural events in the Hood River Valley include Hood River Valley Blossom Time and the Hood River Hard-Pressed Cider Fest, which take place in April, as well as the Hood River Hops Fest and the Hood River Valley Harvest Fest, both in October. In 2012, FoodandWine.com identified the Harvest Fest as one of the best harvest festivals in the United States. The oldest swimming event on the

, the Roy Webster Cross-Channel Swim, takes place in Hood River every

Labor Day Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United St ...

. The event has been held nearly continuously since 1942, with the first cancellation occurring in 2017 due to the Eagle Creek Fire. The U.S. Windsurfing National Championships were held in Hood River in 2001, 2009, and 2012, and the Mount Hood Cycling Classic was held in the city from 2002 to 2013.

Museums and other points of interest

Columbia Gorge Hotel rear - Hood River Oregon

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 The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

(due in large part to the work of Sally Donovan, a local historian), including the

Columbia Gorge Hotel The Columbia Gorge Hotel is a historic hotel in Hood River, Oregon, United States. It was built by Simon Benson, who was involved with the Columbia Gorge Scenic Highway. Benson envisioned a hotel at the end of the highway, and completed the Miss ...

, built in 1920 by Portland

timber baron A business magnate, also known as a tycoon, is a person who has achieved immense wealth through the ownership of multiple lines of enterprise. The term characteristically refers to a powerful entrepreneur or investor who controls, through perso ...

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.

Parks and recreation

Hood River is the western gateway to the

Mount Hood Scenic Byway Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest. Mount or Mounts may also refer to: Places * Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England * Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, ...

and to a major section of the

Historic Columbia River Highway The Historic Columbia River Highway is an approximately scenic highway in the U.S. state of Oregon between Troutdale and The Dalles, built through the Columbia River Gorge between 1913 and 1922. As the first planned scenic roadway in the Unite ...

. 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 th
New York Times
and ''

''. The Port Commission has built a protected harbor for learning windsurfing called "The Hook". 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. 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 The Hood River County School District (HRCSD) is a public school district in Hood River County, Oregon, United States that serves the communities of Cascade Locks, Hood River, Odell, Pine Grove, and Parkdale. District headquarters are a ...

. 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 Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...

through

twelfth grade Twelfth grade, 12th grade, senior year, or grade 12 is the final year of secondary school in most of North America. In other regions, it may also be referred to as class 12 or Year 13. In most countries, students are usually between the ages of 17 ...

(K–12). Horizon competes at the 1A level of the Oregon School Activities Association, while the public

competes at the 5A level. The city also is home to the Mid-Columbia Adventist School.

Media

Newspapers

The '' Columbia Gorge News'' is a weekly paper published on Wednesdays and serving Hood River, The Dalles, and White Salmon, Washington.

Radio

KIHR KIHR (1340 AM) is a radio station licensed to serve Hood River, Oregon, United States. The station, which began broadcasting in 1950, is currently owned by Bicoastal Media and the broadcast license is held by Bicoastal Media Licenses IV, LLC. Pr ...

AM 1340/98.3 FM * KODL AM 1440/99.1 FM * KQAC FM 88.1 *

KMSW KMSW (92.7 FM) is a radio station licensed to serve The Dalles, Oregon, United States. The station, established in 2002, is currently owned by Bicoastal Media and the broadcast license is held by Bicoastal Media Licenses IV, LLC. KMSW broadcast ...

FM 92.7/102.9 * KOPB-FM FM 94.3 * KZAS-LP FM 95.1 Radio Tierra *

KACI-FM KACI-FM (93.5 MHz) is a radio station broadcasting classic hits. Licensed to The Dalles, Oregon, United States. The station is currently owned by Bicoastal Media and the broadcast license A broadcast license is a type of spectrum license gran ...

93.5 *

KCGB-FM KCGB-FM (105.5 FM) is a radio station licensed to serve Hood River, Oregon, United States. The station is owned by Bicoastal Media and the broadcast license is held by Bicoastal Media Licenses IV, LLC. The radio studios of KCGB-FM and sister st ...

105.5/96.9

Television

* K34KE-D translator for

KGW KGW (channel 8) is a television station in Portland, Oregon, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Tegna Inc. The station's studios are located on Jefferson Street in southwestern Portland, and its transmitter is located in the city' ...

Portland,

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

affiliate * K23OV-D translator for

KOIN Koin or KOIN may refer to: * KOIN, a TV station in Portland, Oregon * Koin, Guinea See also * Koine (disambiguation) {{dab ...

Portland, CBS affiliate * CGN-7 Gorge TV

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).

Blogs

The Gorge is My Gym
a weather blog by Temira Lital.
Hood River Eats
a blog dedicated to keeping the community updated on the food scene.
Dishing Up the Dirt
a food blog run by cookbook author and farmer Andrea Bemis.

Infrastructure

Transportation

;Air Hood River has one airport, the

Ken Jernstedt Airfield Ken Jernstedt Airfield is a public airport located two miles (3.2 km) south of the city of Hood River in Hood River County, Oregon, United States. The fixed-base operator is TacAero, which also bases its tailwheel flight school there. ...

. 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 Oregon Route 35 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Oregon, running between Government Camp on the slopes of Mount Hood and the city of Hood River. OR 35 traverses part of the Mt. Hood Highway No. 26 ( Mount Hood Scenic Byway) ...

pass through Hood River. ;Rail Hood River is the northern terminus of the

Mount Hood Railroad The Mount Hood Railroad is a heritage and shortline freight railroad located in Hood River, Oregon, east of Portland, Oregon, United States. The majority of the railroad's revenue is generated from passenger excursions although a few smal ...

, a

heritage railway A heritage railway or heritage railroad (US usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) i ...

that offers passenger excursions from Hood River station and ships a small amount of freight.

Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...

provides freight service to the city.Hood River profile
from

Oregon Economic & Community Development Department The Oregon Business Development Department (OBDD) dba Business Oregon is a government agency of the U.S. state of Oregon, providing support of economic and community development and cultural enhancement through administration of a variety of pro ...

The Union Pacific Railroad also had passenger service to Hood River for much of the 20th century, while

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada. ...

's '' Pioneer'' also served the city from 1977 to 1997 at Hood River station. ;Bus Hood River receives national bus service from

Greyhound Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc. (commonly known as simply Greyhound) operates the largest intercity bus service in North America, including Greyhound Mexico. It also operates charter bus services, Amtrak Thruway services, commuter bus services, and ...

. Additional bus service is provided to Portland, the Dalles, and Bingen by Columbia Area Transit and Mount Adams Transportation Service. ;Marine The

Port of Hood River A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...

, founded in 1933, manages a public marina and waterfront economic development projects. 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. Natural gas is provided by

NW Natural NW Natural, formerly Northwest Natural Gas Company, is an American publicly traded utility headquartered in Portland, Oregon, United States. Primarily a natural gas distributor, the company services residential, commercial, and industrial customers ...

and electricity comes from

PacifiCorp PacifiCorp is an electric power company in the western United States. PacifiCorp has two business units: # Pacific Power, a regulated electric utility with service territory throughout Oregon, northern California, and southeastern Washington. ...

Healthcare

Hood River has one hospital, Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital.

Notable people

Cecil D. Andrus Cecil Dale Andrus (August 25, 1931 – August 24, 2017) was an American politician who served 26th and 28th governor of Idaho, for total of fourteen years. A Democrat, he also served as U.S. Secretary of the Interior from 1977 to 1981 during th ...

, politician, governor of

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Monta ...

Andrew Baldwin Captain Andrew James Baldwin, MD, United States Navy, USN (born February 5, 1977, Lancaster, Pennsylvania) is a United States Navy, US Naval Officer, ironman triathlete, television personality, humanitarian, and physician. Born and raised in Pen ...

, professional baseball player * Timothy K. Beal, religious scholar, author, professor *

Sammy Carlson Sammy Carlson (born January 11, 1989) is an American freeskier specializing in slopestyle competitions. He was the first skier to execute a switch triple rodeo 1260 in July 2010 at Mount Hood Mount Hood is a potentially active stratovol ...

, freeskier, X-Games medalist * D. J. Conway, fantasy author * Thomas R. Coon, strawberry farmer, politician and mayor of Hood River * Sean FitzSimons, a participant in the 2022 winter games. *

Flor Flor (Spanish and Portuguese for ''flower'') in winemaking, is a film of yeast on the surface of wine, important in the manufacture of some styles of sherry. The flor is formed naturally under certain winemaking conditions, from indigenous yeas ...

, alternative rock band signed to Fueled By Ramen * Edward Hill, painter, poet, songwriter, newspaper correspondent * George Hitchcock (1914–2010), poet, publisher *

Kenneth Jernstedt Kenneth Allen Jernstedt (July 20, 1917 – February 5, 2013) was an American Flying Tigers fighter pilot, a test pilot, a politician and a businessman. Early life Jernstedt was born in Yamhill County, Oregon, to Fred and Mae Jernstedt, an ...

, fighter pilot in the

Flying Tigers The First American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Republic of China Air Force, nicknamed the Flying Tigers, was formed to help oppose the Japanese invasion of China. Operating in 1941–1942, it was composed of pilots from the United States ...

and politician *

Damon Knight Damon Francis Knight (September 19, 1922 – April 15, 2002) was an American science fiction author, editor, and critic. He is the author of " To Serve Man", a 1950 short story adapted for ''The Twilight Zone''.Stanyard, ''Dimensions Behind t ...

, science fiction author *

Jeff Lahti Jeffrey Allen Lahti (born October 8, 1956) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an alumnus of Portland State University. Early life Lahti was born in Oregon City on October 8, 1956 to parents Marlene and Bob. Following their divorce, ...

, professional baseball player * Marc Lee, United States

Navy SEAL The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main functions are conducting s ...

, first SEAL killed in the

Global War on Terror The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campaign are militant ...

Kim Peyton Kim Marie Peyton (January 26, 1957 – December 13, 1986), also known by her married name Kim McDonald, was an American swimmer and Olympic gold medalist at the 1976 Summer Olympics. She was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1989, ...

, swimmer, gold medalist at 1976 Olympic Games * Marcus W. Robertson, war hero and Medal of Honor recipient * Bob Smith, professional baseball player from 1957 to 1965 * Brooke Struck, television personality *

Suzanne VanOrman Suzanne VanOrman (born July 1939) is an politics of the United States, American politician from Oregon. A Democratic Party of Oregon, Democrat, she was a member of the Oregon House of Representatives, first elected in 2008. VanOrman, who resides ...

, politician * Don Wakamatsu, professional baseball player and manager *

Greg Walden Gregory Paul Walden (born January 10, 1957) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1999 to 2021. He is a Republican. Walden is the son of three-term Oregon State Representative Paul E. Walden. In October 2019 ...

, politician * Simeon R. Wilson, politician * Minoru Yasui, lawyer, civil rights activist

Sister cities

Hood River has one

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

, as designated by

Sister Cities International Sister Cities International (SCI) is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between communities in the United States and those in other countries, particularly through the establishment of " sister citie ...

: * Tsuruta,

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

References

External links

City of Hood River
(official website)
Hood River County Chamber of Commerce

Entry for Hood River
in the ''

Oregon Blue Book The ''Oregon Blue Book'' is the official directory and fact book for the U.S. state of Oregon prepared by the Oregon Secretary of State and published by the Office of the Secretary's Archives Division. The ''Blue Book'' comes in both print and on ...

''
Hood River-area webcam
from the KATU website {{Authority control Cities in Oregon County seats in Oregon Cities in Hood River County, Oregon Columbia River Gorge Populated places established in 1858 Micropolitan areas of Oregon Historic Columbia River Highway Oregon populated places on the Columbia River Port cities in Oregon 1858 establishments in Oregon Territory