[All-Gorge] 🍎 The Town That Was: Remembering Underwood's 1946 Fire - 5/5

Today marks exactly eighty years since the devastating May 5, 1946 fire that wiped out the bustling riverside village of Old Underwood. In this special anniversary episode, we explore the sheer ambition of the early Gorge fruit growers, the “Sunday conflagration” that changed the town's trajectory, and the new life taking root on the waterfront today.In This Episode:The ancient Indigenous roots of the Underwood crossing.How a pioneer boat landing became "The Most Famous Fruit Belt in the World."The perfect storm of economic shifts that kept the lower commercial core from rebuilding.Underwood’s hopeful next chapter, happening right before our eyesA shoutout to our favorite local historical archives.Resources & Links:Read the full written Dispatch at SkamaniaDispatch.comUnderwood Through the Years by Mary Kapp and Kathy LaMotteThe Upbuilding of the White Salmon Area: Historical Misinformation Exposed by Ralph BrownColumbia Gorge Interpretive Center MuseumConfluence ProjectYakama Nation Cultural CenterColumbia Inter-Tribal Fish CommissionUnderwood Park and Recreation District (UPRD) Gorge Heritage MuseumHistoryLink.orgStay Connected with the GorgeThe Skamania Dispatch and The Klickitattler are community-led projects of OpenGorge.org.To stay updated on local news, governance, and community events across the region, you can sign up for both newsletters at SkamaniaDispatch.com. For real-time updates and to join the conversation, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/OpenGorge.