Georgiana Smith Park surrounds the Hood River County Library in the heart of downtown Hood River. It is part of the County’s park system. The park grounds envelop the magnificent brick library building. An adjoining lot to the west was donated to the County by the Stoltz family of Hood River in 2004, and was merged with the original park during construction in 2005.
DESIGN: The park’s expanded layout, designed by Marion McNew of Mount Hood Gardens, connects State and Oak Streets, and also provides access to Sixth Street. Three different patio spaces with diverse sun and shade aspects create separate outdoor rooms and are all handicapped-accessible. They allow for sitting, eating lunch, or staging of small music events. The dry-stack stone walls and patio walls throughout the park were constructed by Mount Hood Gardens.
HISTORY: A plaque fastened to a large stone, located in the center of the park, commemorates the family of Georgiana Smith, early settlers in Hood River. Georgiana Smith was instrumental in establishing the original library in 1908. The historic library building was realized with a grant from the Carnegie Foundation and designed in the Jacobethan style. It opened in 1914, with the most recent expansion dedicated in 2003.
OLDEST HOUSE IN TOWN: the winery and tasting room offer amazing panoramic views of the columbia gorge from the town’s oldest house still standing, called the ‘mansion on the hill’ (1886). before conversion into our winery, the building was a mortuary for 45 years. this historic place is a grand stage for the production and presentation of our wines.
MORTUARY TURNED WINERY: the building was subsequently acquired by cc anderson in 1922. anderson funeral home installed a steam powered body lift, cadaver laboratory, and other parts for their operations. the large basement and natural low temperature served well in hosting hood river's deceased. the burial in the garage only adds to the spooky charm of the hood river's oldest house!
"The historic Hood River County Library and Georgiana Smith Park (library built 1913), located at 502 State Street in Hood River, Oregon, United States, are listed on the US National Register of Historic Places. Photo composition excludes non-historic additions to the library."
The Hood River County Library and Georgiana Smith Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.[1][2]
It was a community effort to get the library built, with a woman's club leading, and eventually securing a $17,500 Carnegie grant. The library was built in 1913-14. The Georgiana Smith Park was completed in 1935.[2]
http://www.mounthoodgardens.com/georgiana-smith-park-hood-river-public-library