Welcome To Hood River

Hood River Community Information

The advantages of life in Hood River are many, not the least of which is wind surfing. Living in Hood River, you can spend your weekends at Gorge Sailpark or just enjoy the scenic view along Hood River on a sunny afternoon. Hood River offers a variety of properties and homes for sale, from waterfront villas to newly constructed town homes and condominiums, there are homes in every price range and for every taste. Search for homes now by picking the features and amenities you need and desire in a property.

The City of Hood River was incorporated on July, 1854, and is the county seat for Hood River County. Hood River is located at the junction of Highway 35 and Interstate 84. The Hood River toll bridge spans the Columbia River and connects the city with the communities of White Salmon and Bingen located in the state of Washington. Hood River is located approximately 60 miles east of Portland Oregon on I-84. It is 7 miles west of Mosier, and 21 miles west of The Dalles.

Major local industries include: orchards and fruit packing, telecommunications, timber, software design, and recreation activities (particularly windsurfing, hiking, and skiing). Hood River County is now responsible for the leading production of Anjou Pears in the world. Fruits and timber products are still the major sources of revenue, although industrial opportunities are growing, and the future years will bring even more new development.

Hood River Education

Upheld by the Hood River County School district, Hood River schools have set lofty ambitions that they aspire to live up to. Hood River schools seek to equip their students with a superior education in a secure and supportive surrounding. Hood River County School district believes in joining with parents and the community to collaborate in the development of citizenship and academic proficiency. The objective of Hood River schools is to produce effective citizens who are influential in a global community. Invest in a promising education by looking into Hood River real estate for sale.

Hood River Attractions

Take advantage of life amidst Oregon´s natural beauty. Some of the best views in the Hood River Valley can be seen from the Mount Hood scenic byway. From up there, you can see everything that´s great about life in the Hood River area. There are fruit orchards, once Hood River´s source of economic stability, waterfalls and plentiful wildlife to see along your drive, all of the best of Hood River. Hood River also boasts several microbreweries and vineyards. Stop at Panorama Point to look out over the valley. It´s always fun to imagine you can see your home from this vantage point. Search our featured listings today to find out what homes are on the Hood River market now.

The climate is mild year-round and the normal annual precipitation is 30 inches. Hood River County has the attractions of fresh air, low crime, good schools and friendly communities.  Also some of the real estate in Hood River has some of the most breath taking views that one could imagine.

History of Hood River

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. See current census information.

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.

Courtesy of Oregon Historical County Records Guide

Hood River Community Links

Tom Jenkins
Don Nunamaker Realtors^®
2495 Cascade
Hood River, OR 97031