Winter 2024 Newsletter - Centennial Bridge Celebration
On December 6, 1924, the newly constructed Hood River White Salmon Bridge opened to the public, providing an important river crossing and allowing new economic growth in the Columbia River Gorge. 1,500 people turned out for the event, bundled in coats and hats, to cross the bridge for the very first time. This moment in history was captured by newspapers, photographers, and held in the memories of locals for years to come.
On October 6, 2024, the Port of Hood River aimed to recreate that pivotal moment in local history, by throwing a Centennial Bridge Celebration. Determined to create a truly local-focused celebration, the Port began planning a reenactment of the 1924 opening, using information from local historians and the records from the The History Museum of Hood River County. The goal was to keep the event focused on locals, using local vendors and artists and marketing to the community at hand. While the event would come at an expense to the Port, it was determined that it should be free to the public to rule out any barriers to event accessibility. Local artist Anna Laxague from Basko Creative designed the Centennial logo, which the Port used to create shirts, sweatshirts and hats in hopes of offsetting some of the event costs. With the historical knowledge from former Mayor Arthur Babitz, dreams of recreating the fruit exchange and mayoral handshakes from 1924 began to brew. It would be a bridge birthday party, with free parking, free bridge toll, and the goal of creating a community-focused and celebratory event.
“Happy Bridge Day!” yelled one person to another as they passed each other on the deck of the Hood River White Salmon Interstate Bridge. The weather was glorious, with sunny skies and still waters. Mount Hood shone in the morning sun to the south, and the sound of laughter and music filled the air.
The Centennial Bridge Celebration was underway, with over four thousand friends and neighbors from Oregon and Washington stepping onto the deck of the bridge, taking the unique opportunity to walk from one side of the river to the other.
At 9:30 that morning the bridge closed to vehicular traffic, and at 10 o’clock, Arthur Babitz led the procession of people onto the bridge in his restored Model T. Reaching the Washington side, Mr. Babitz picked up Klickitat County Commissioner Jacob Anderson and delivered him to the center of the bridge, where Hood River County Commissioner Chair Jennifer Euwer was waiting. Crates of fruit were exchanged, once again symbolizing the now free flowing trade, agriculture and services that the construction of the bridge allowed.
The celebration continued, with local pianist Erick Haynie playing tunes under the lift span as people walked from one state to the other. The smiles were countless and the vibe energetic as people mingled, took photos, shared laughs and shared an experience they would not soon forget. A group of enthusiastic musicians even marched their way across the bridge, playing a selection of upbeat jazz tunes and joining Erick Haynie for a spontaneous concert. People danced, sang along and relished the moment, one which some had waited for their whole lives.
At noon the party shifted to Marina Green, where local food trucks, musicians, community partners and a timeline of WAAAM cars were ready to continue the celebration. United States Senator Ron Wyden, Washington State Senator Curtis King, White Salmon Mayor Marla Keethler and Oregon State Representative Jeff Helfrich spoke to the importance of the community connection the current bridge provides and the hard work The Port of Hood River and Hood River White Salmon Bridge Authority have done to secure funding for a new bridge.
With speeches over, the crowd danced to the tunes of Tony Smiley, while enjoying a piece of bridge birthday cake provided by the The History Museum of Hood River County. Museum entry was free for the day, with the community enjoying their latest exhibit “A New Avenue: Historic Photos of the Hood River Bridge.” By three the party was winding down, but the elation of the day would not be forgotten. For one hundred years the Hood River White Salmon Bridge has connected us and strengthened the economies of our small rural towns. It has changed over the years, as all things do, and is showing its age as traffic increases and time marches on. But one day, in the not-so-distance future, the bridge will be gone, replaced by a new structure that will continue the legacy of community connection. And when that day comes, there will be conversations over local brews remembering the day they walked the old green bridge.
