The History Museum of Hood River County

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The History Museum of Hood River County Discover culture and history through fresh, engaging exhibits, and exciting programs.

Permanent Exhibits include: Native American Culture, Early Settlers, Timber and Logging, Agriculture, Recreation, the Hood River Japanese American story, and Luhr Jensen & Sons: Where Legends Were Made.

Did you know that The History Museum shares recordings of past Timewinder Tales and other events on our YouTube channel?...
10/14/2026

Did you know that The History Museum shares recordings of past Timewinder Tales and other events on our YouTube channel?

Pictured here are Jose and Maria Castilla, along with their daughter Elizabeth (right) and grandchildren Robert, Marty, and Patricia (children of Joe Castilla). They are posing outside of their family restaurant, Jose’s Taco House, in 1974.

Jose and Maria Castilla moved to Hood River in 1969 following their eldest son Joe, who got a job at Chevron; they opened Jose’s Taco House that same year. The restaurant specialized in Tejano-style Mexican food cooked by Maria, prepped by Jose, and assisted by the rest of the family. The restaurant also had a market with canned goods, spices, teas, piñatas, music, and magazines, and also served as an employment office, welfare office, and homeless shelter. People often came for help filling out paperwork and applications. The restaurant was a local favorite and community center until 1988, when health issues made it too difficult for Jose and Maria to continue their business.

Hear Jose and Maria’s story and more in the Cemetery Tales 2021 video, now available on our YouTube channel! Visit the link in our bio to see our channel.

A reminder: this year’s Timewinder Tales events will be on Thursday, November 5, at 7:00 pm and Sunday, November 8, at 2:00 pm, at The Ruins. Come support the museum and hear about local history!

On August 3, 1926, a group of mountain climbers met in the home of Hood River local Andy Anderson and discussed the idea...
10/08/2026

On August 3, 1926, a group of mountain climbers met in the home of Hood River local Andy Anderson and discussed the idea of establishing a mountain search and rescue team. 100 years later the Crag Rats are celebrating their centennial.

Pictured here are the charter members of the group. 1. Sulo Annala 2. Fred Donnerberg 4. William McGuire 4. L.M. (Mace) Baldwin 5. Jess Puddy 6. Don Lamson 7. Kent Shoemaker 8. Percy Bucklin 9. Eino E. Annala 10. Harold Blackman 11. Bill Cochran 12. A.L. (Andy) Anderson 13. Atto Annala 14. Arvi Annala 15. John Annala 16. Arne Hukari 17. Ray Conway 18. Paul Hoerlein 19. Harold Davis 20. Arne Annala 21. Ted Emmerson 22. William T. Hukari 23. Arvo A. Hukari 24. George Iiams Missing W.O. (Bill) Sheppard

The History Museum is honoring the legacy of the Crag Rats with this year’s Timewinder Tales event, From the Glacier to the Gorge: 100 Years of Crag Rat Lore.

The performances are on Thursday, November 5, at 7:00 pm and Sunday, November 8, at 2:00 pm, and will be held at The Ruins.

Tickets are $30 for general admission, $25 for museum members, or $10 for ages 18 and under and are available for purchase online or in person at The History Museum.

As seating is limited, advance ticket purchase is encouraged.

We hope you’ll join us in celebrating this milestone and experiencing local history!

The History Museum of Hood River County is thrilled to announce our upcoming production of Timewinder Tales - From the G...
10/07/2026

The History Museum of Hood River County is thrilled to announce our upcoming production of Timewinder Tales - From the Glacier to the Gorge: 100 Years of Crag Rats Lore.

Celebrating the centennial legacy of the oldest continuously operating volunteer mountain search-and-rescue team in the United States, the production highlights the foundational values that have anchored the Crag Rats since 1926: family legacy, teamwork, and an ethos of volunteer public service.

The performance features local actor Todd Dierker alongside active Crag Rats members Lisa Rust, Walter Burkhardt, and James Holloway, bridging the gap between dramatic storytelling and first-hand operational memory. The cast will share search-and-rescue accounts, stories, and pivotal organizational milestones, from technological revolutions in gear and communications to the vital inclusion of women in the ranks.

The performances are on Thursday, November 5, at 7 pm and Sunday, November 8, at 2 pm. Doors open one hour prior to the showtimes.

The events will be held at The Ruins. Tickets are $30 for general admission, $25 for museum members, or $10 for ages 18 and under, and are available for purchase online or in person at The History Museum.

As seating is limited, advance ticket purchase is encouraged.

We hope to see you there!

Thank you to everyone who joined us and Lightwell Hotel & Spa for our first Local Legends speaker series event. The Virt...
10/06/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us and Lightwell Hotel & Spa for our first Local Legends speaker series event. The Virtual Historic Walking Tour with Lorraine Carlstrom was a great success! 

Join us on November 2 for our next lecture of the series Hops and Hollywood: Prohibition, Movies, and More in Hood River, featuring Suzi Conklin. We can’t wait to experience more local history with you!

A reminder that our Local Legends lecture series with Lightwell Hotel kicks off on Monday at 6:00 pm!Join us as Lorraine...
10/03/2026

A reminder that our Local Legends lecture series with Lightwell Hotel kicks off on Monday at 6:00 pm!

Join us as Lorraine Carlstrom presents a Virtual Historic Walking Tour of Downtown.

Tickets are $12 for general admission and $10 for museum members. Tickets are available for purchase in person or on the museum website.

This view of Second and Oak Street circa 1911 makes it clear why paving the streets was a high priority one hundred and fifteen years ago. The slushy remnants of a snowstorm made for muddy travel. Note the Second Street stairs were already in use, providing pedestrian access to homes above the city.

With the exception of the Dietz photo studio, most of these structures remain unchanged.

Like what you see? Dive deeper into local history on Monday at Lightwell Hotel!

Discover the history of local innovation! 🚀 The History Museum is excited to present our newest exhibition, Talk Tech to...
09/26/2026

Discover the history of local innovation! 🚀

The History Museum is excited to present our newest exhibition, Talk Tech to Me!

The exhibit will open to the public on Friday, October 2, and a reception for members will be held Thursday, October 1, from 7:00 to 8:30pm.

The new exhibit will feature a history of the avionics industry in the Gorge.

Guest speaker Jason Hartmann will present a brief history of the avionics industry at the members reception.

We hope to see you soon!

The History Museum is thrilled to launch our new speaker series, Local Legends, with Lightwell Hotel! The first talk on ...
09/25/2026

The History Museum is thrilled to launch our new speaker series, Local Legends, with Lightwell Hotel! The first talk on October 5 will be A Walk in the Hood: A Virtual Historic Walking Tour of Downtown, featuring Lorraine Carlstrom.

Tickets are $12 for general admission and $10 for museum members. Tickets are available for purchase on the museum website.

The Lightwell Lobby Bar is hosting an extended happy hour from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm.🥂

All lectures will begin at 6:00 pm.

We hope you’ll join us; we can’t wait to explore local history with you!

We had a wonderful time spending last Saturday at Maryhill Museum of Art, celebrating their centennial! Thank you to eve...
09/23/2026

We had a wonderful time spending last Saturday at Maryhill Museum of Art, celebrating their centennial!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our table, and congratulations to Maryhill Museum of Art on this milestone!

09/16/2026

A reminder that our exhibit La Quinceañera: una tradición bonita is on display through this Saturday, September 19. Stop by and see it before it’s gone! 🌸

The History Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 11 AM to 4 PM.

A huge congratulations to our friends at the Columbia Gorge Museum Columbia Gorge Museum and artist Maggie Hensel-Brown ...
09/16/2026

A huge congratulations to our friends at the Columbia Gorge Museum Columbia Gorge Museum and artist Maggie Hensel-Brown maggiehenselbrown on the completion of their wonderful lace project!

From workshops here at the History Museum to other makers participating locally and from afar, thank you to everyone who lent their hands and support. It’s amazing to think this collection of lace represents 11 different countries and 19 states!

Address

300 E Port Marina Way
Hood River, OR
97031

Opening Hours

Monday 11am - 4pm
Tuesday 11am - 4pm
Wednesday 11am - 4pm
Thursday 11am - 4pm
Friday 11am - 4pm
Saturday 11am - 4pm

Telephone

+15413866772

Website

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