Wordless Wednesday - Pine Grove's Rolling Orchards

This is the view yesterday looking across the Pine Grove area. Blossoms are still two or three weeks away.

If you are looking to sell or purchase a home in the Columbia Gorge region, be sure to check out ColumbiaGorgeFSBO.com.  Property Owners in Hood River, The Dalles, White Salmon, Parkdale, Goldendale and other Columbia Gorge communities have chosen ColumbiaGorgeFSBO.com to assist them in marketing their properties.  Be sure to view what the Columbia Gorge FSBO market has to offer potential buyers. 

Sellers, we can assist you in marketing your home to achieve SOLD!. 

Call us at 541-716-4254 or 509-540-1309.

Another Victim of the Economy

Last night we got the sad news that the school board agreed to back Hood River County School District Superintendant's recommendation to close Pine Grove Elementary School. The closure comes after the announcement several weeks ago that the school district budget came up $3.5 million short. For a little school district, that's huge.

Pine Grove is the smallest of the elementary schools in the district, while Mid-Valley Elementary school is currently not filled to capacity. Pine Grove students will be moved to Mid-Valley next September. While the closure is not written in stone yet, the recommendation makes a reversal unlikely. Of course, the closure is only one of many budget cuts, but it's the closest to my heart, as I work at Pine Grove in Special Education three hours a day. Pine Grove Elementary has operated in this building for 120+ years.

The frustrating part is that if the district could just hold on for another couple years, the recovering economy will contribute enough additional students at both Pine Grove and Mid-Valley to make the closure unnecessary. Our region was burgeoning just three years ago, growing fast, attracting new families. I'm confident building will continue before long, the families will come and our schools will need to expand. But the district can't wait that long.

So for now we'll keep hoping for a miracle and try to make the best of the last few months we have left in our beloved school.

Gretchen Ahrens

If you are looking to purchase a home in the Columbia Gorge region, be sure to check out ColumbiaGorgeFSBO.com.  Home and Property Owners in Hood River, The Dalles, White Salmon, Parkdale, Goldendale and other Columbia Gorge communities have chosen ColumbiaGorgeFSBO.com to assist them in marketing their properties.  Be sure to view what the Columbia Gorge FSBO market has to offer potential buyers. 

Sellers, we can assist you in marketing your home to achieve SOLD!.  Call us at 541-716-4254 or 509-540-1309.

A bit of Fall color in the orchard.  This was taken in the Pine Grove area, southeast of Hood River just off of Highway 35.

If you are looking to purchase a home in the Columbia Gorge region, be sure to check out ColumbiaGorgeFSBO.com.  Home and Property owners in Hood River, The Dalles, White Salmon, Parkdale, Goldendale and other Columbia Gorge communities have chosen ColumbiaGorgeFSBO.com to assist them in marketing their properties.  Be sure to view what the Columbia Gorge FSBO market has to offer potential buyers. 

Sellers, we can assist you in marketing your home to achieve SOLD!.  Call us at 541-716-4254.

Summer Sensations will be held at Rasmussen Farms in Hood River on June 14-15, 2008  10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The days activities include:

• strawberry shortcake
• Strawberry shot put & berry bubbles
• 4H farm animal petting area (10-3)
• Ripe strawberries- U pick or we pick
• Live music at noon.

Rasmussen Farms is easy to find at 3020 Thomsen Road, six miles south of Hood River. Plenty of free parking and free admission.

 Disclaimer: I assume no responsibilty for accuracy of information provided within this post and blog. Many entries on this blog are based on the opinions and  ideas of the author and are provided without warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied.  

The Gorge White House was built in 1910. The architectural style is Dutch Colonial Revival which was popular from 1890-1915. Some of the characteristics of this style include the gambrel roof, oval windows with keystones, attic windows, transoms, dentils at the cornice, screened porch, balconies, leaded beveled glass, fluted porch columns, arched window with keystone in the west facaing gable and sidelights framing the doors. The exterior and interior of the house are intact. The inside features quarter sawn white oak columns, coffered ceilings, newel posts, staircase, floors, doors, and windows. The house is located in a rural setting in the Hood River Valley surrounded by orchards. It is listed on the National Historic Registry. The first floor of the Gorge White House is open to the public.

The Pine Grove Methodist Church was built in Pine Grove about 5 miles south of Hood River in 1907.  The church first began in 1879 when three men and their families met to organize a Sunday School.  In 1882 land was donated for a school house which was made of logs and the Sunday School met there for some time. In 1887 land was donated for the present school grounds and a one room structure was built in a grove of pine trees. The name of the school and church was Pine Grove. In 1889 a two room structure was built. The old building was given to the Sunday School. More land was donated on which to move the one room building for church purposes giving the Sunday School its first home.  During the next few years several different denominations were represented served by ministers including Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and the Salvation Army. In 1904 $1,000 was left as an inheritance to help build a Methodist Church. Other contributions from the community helped as well and the church was built and dedicated on April 28, 1907. It was the first church in Hood River Valley.  Today the church can be rented for weddings. It has seating for 150 guests.