History Mystery Photo October 24, 2004 (Text Only) Several guessers last week recognized a fruit harvest operation but only Everett and Betty Marvel recognized the photo as pertaining not to cherries, but to apples. More specifically, they knew it as the Dufur Orchard Company, which at one time was known as “the world’s biggest apple orchard.” The first trees were planted in 1911, and the first fruit harvested in 1916. Here’s the story as it is told in the highly recommended pamphlet, “Fifteen Mile Crossing: A History of Dufur,” which was printed for the Dufur Centennial in 1993. “A group of businessmen from Iowa visited the Dufur (Oregon) area in 1911 and announced plans to buy the Johnston ranch and plant fruit trees. After several years and much negotiating, the Dufur Orchard Co. was formed. Ada Tidwell’s research tells us that 4,000 acres of the hills north and west of Dufur were planted to orchard and by 1916, apples were being harvested. By 1919, 300 to 400 people were employed at harvest time. It was known as the largest apple orchard in the world under one holding. However, it was found that there was not enough moisture for the fruit to mature properly. Eventually all of the trees were pulled out and wheat and hay became the principal crop. Now, after the drilling of productive water wells, there are once again orchards on those same hills. The photo is one of the many taken throughout the Mid-Columbia by photographer Benjamin A. Gifford, who ran a state-of-the-art studio in The Dalles from 1899-1910, and returned often to the area to shoot. The Gifford Studio was one of the largest in the state and it was outfitted with carbon arc lights and high volume darkrooms. It was staffed with photographers, retouchers and colorists. October 31, 2004 We also had a call from Lucille Armstrong-Stevens, who said one of the figures in the previous week’s photo of the apple harvesters was her grandmother, Maggie Armstrong, holding the apple bucket. Homer and Maggie Armstrong came to Dufur when their son, Lucille’s father, was 10 years old. The senior Armstrong had been hired as one of 70 workers to help cultivate the orchard, which at that time was the world’s largest apple orchard. The Dufur Historical Society is interested in obtaining copies of family photos relating to the Dufur orchard for an upcoming exhibit. Call Nancy Gibson at 541-467-2205 or visit the Dufur Museum for details. Written permission to reprint given by The Dalles Chronicle, The Dalles, Oregon Copied and submitted by Earline Wasser Member of Columbia Gorge Genealogical Society c/o The Dalles/Wasco County Public Library 722 Court Street The Dalles, Oregon 97058 http://community.gorge.net/genealogy [Note: new website address] Browse http://historysavers.com/orwasco/ recently updated information regarding Wasco County - Links are at the bottom of page The Dalles Chronicle http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/ http://searches.rootsweb.com/ "Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant." Robert Louis Stevenson Incoming and Outgoing mail protected by Trend Micro PC-cillin program