The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1920-08-05

swung gayly while healthy little bodies
rose up and down in the cool shade
and exuberant young voices emitted
shouts of merriment over the sheer 10Y
of motion, to and fro on the big moth.
er-tree's arms.
Today there are few sad faced
freckled kiddies. WHO hang meditative-
ly about the fallen trunk of their ia.
vorite tree. wondering what sort Of
fun they can ever find now to take the
place of their big friend of timber.
Looking back over the life of tree
which bears 300 distinct rings as proof
of its three-century- existence, held
secret by nature until the steel axe of
man has severed the trunk from its
roots and revealed the cross section, it
seems incredulous almost that a crea-
tion of nature so pervious to the ele-
ments as a tree. has lived through the
chapters of history which has this
great fir.
Three hundred years ago, the year
this tree was born--or rather, when the
tiny seed from which it sprang burst it's
shell and struggled up through the soil
into the warm sunlight, took place one
of the most soul stirring and important
events in Americas S history. That was
1920, the year when the Pilgrim fathers
ventured across the sea, leaving the
shore of England inca tiny craft known
as the "Mayfiower." and finally set
! foot upon Plymouth Rock, looking to
! America as a new mother land of free
! dom and hope. At that time the great
West of the United States was un-
known and undreamed of by white peo-
Pile, and yet the little fir seeding was
sending forth roots into the soil which
was one day to be dwelt upon by the
very progeny of these first children of
the land, and lone fir tree was start
! ing to grow up to life which has been
as vital to the Hood River valley as
that of any human.
Before Lewis and Clark set foot in
Oregon's wild beauty, this tree had
already looked down upon 200 years of
passing seasons. Before the mythical
Bridge of the Gods crashed into the
Columbia river. this tree had for a
century looked down upon the broad
blue eXpanse of water whose power
and swiftness was supposedly RESPONSE
BILE for wearing away the foundation of
natural bridge which forms such
beautiful part of Indian mythology in
this district. 1t commanded view of
Mount Hood, Mount Adams, Wind
Mountain, the Columbia river and the
old Barlow road to the east, and has
seen the first pioneers press their tedi-
Gus way into the Columbia valley.
where. after months of hot, weary
travel, they Wended their course through
an aperture in the rim of hills to the
east of Hood River and must have
hi 10
valley with a happy consciousness of
looking at last upon the promised land
of hope and prosperity.
An interesting feature concerning
the old fir is in that it stood alone for
years, towering high above oak and
pine saplngs of second growth tim
ber, which compared to the solitary
frs stateliness and grandeur like
dwarfs to a giant. 1t was also the only |
fir tree in its vicinity until recent |
years, hence came the name of The Old |
Fir. 1t is told how, in the days when !
stock raising was the industry of the |
valley, Old Fir became a natural |
rounding up place for the cowboys and |
stockmen. AS it provided the only |
shelter for miles around, cattle, es-
pecially during storm, would in |
congregate under and close |
by the far reaching boughs which, it |
is.said, had spread of 100 feet from |
tip to tip. 1t was here that the cattle |
men would seek their herds or track |
them into distant fields after ascertain
ing from imprints left in the soil about |
the roots of the tree just how many
hours or days the animals had stamped
and rested there.
Long before the O.-W. r. & N.
tracks came through the valley and the
only travel was by river boat, the tree
stood as an unfailing guide to the 10
cality, being plainly seen from the
river, and many an early settler, re-
turning from Portland, has stood on
the deck of an ancient sidewheeler and
pointed out to interested travelling
the exact location of his
lain in relation to the position of the
Did Fir.
The great tree. at its base, meas
Tres six and two-thirds feet in diam
ter with a circumference of q feet !
The bark. in some places, is as deep as ,
line inches. The mighty trunk bore
p at least 10 branches as coles al as
many revered fir tree, measuring SIX :
eet in circumference. The size is not I
nusual among trees of the west. but
he point Of interest lies in the fact
hat the tree stood alone, a giant
mong pygmies.
The land at the center of.which stood
his beloved old landmark is now
wned by Samuel f. BIyt le, who came
D Hood River AZ years ago, and whose
aughter, Mrs. David T. MArlor, grew
p literally beneath the old tree. and
hose son, George Finley Marlor, has
layed beneath it. Many play houses
ave been built there as haunts for
b lish imaginations to enjoy. and
mOng the many wellknown children
no spent hours in the shelter of Old
ir, reveling at their games. were
Iiss Hester Howe, daughter of Mrs.
lima Howe, an early pioneer who has
ade her Cottage Farm a mecca for
Jtrland families, and the grandchil-
zen of DR.. T. l.. Eliot, the Portland
istor.
In the year 1880 the worst storm
yer known to the Hood River valley
lmaged the tree, bat it was before
lat when the top of the tree was
-oken completely off, leaving less
ian 100 feet Of height standing. What