Georgiana Smith Park, Hood River County Library
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Park sign along Oak Street — the Library Foundation is still gladly accepting donations!
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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’s grounds envelop the newly expanded, magnificent brick library building. An adjoining lot to the west was donated to the County by the Stoltz family of Hood River, and was merged
with the original park during construction in 2005.
Generous lawn areas on the park’s north side face Oak Street, downtown Hood River’s main street, where they allow for gorgeous views of the Columbia River. They are a
popular picnic spot for locals and visitors alike. The park’s expanded lay-out, 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 the staging of small music events.
Additional benches along the natural rock wall on the north side entice visitors to sit
and relax, with the added bonus of offering stunning views of the Columbia River Gorge.
The new dry-stack stone walls throughout the park were constructed by Mount Hood Gardens.
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 addition dedicated in 2003.
Georgiana Smith Park was made possible through donations and in-kind work by numerous organizations and many individuals, among others the Library Foundation, Hood River County, Hood River Rotary, the Columbia Gorge Master Gardeners, Friends of the Library, the City of Hood River and Mount Hood Gardens. It was dedicated in a formal ceremony and celebration for the public on October 9, 2005.
For more detailed information about the creation of the park please refer to adjoining articles.
"Library renews Georgiana's Park", Hood River News, December 25, 2004
"Ground-breaking Monday for Park". Hood River News, April 16, 2005
"Library initiates expansion of Georgiana Smith Park", Hood River News, April 20, 2005
Commemorative Plaque, May 2005
"McNew Growth", Hood River News, early July 2005
"As crews continue to work Georgiana Smith Memorial Park begins to reveal its destined form", Hood River News, July 6, 2005
"Library park renovation continues", Hood River News, July 16, 2005
"New at the Library", Hood River News, August 10, 2005
"Library Visit". Hood River News, September 2005
"Re-dedication of Georgiana Smith Memorial Park", Hood River News, October 5, 2005
"Georgiana Smith Park Re-dedication, Historic Day at the Park", Hood River News, October 12, 2005
"Leisurely Lunch", Hood River News, July 30, 2008
"Hood River County's Park gives the city a jewel", Hood River News, September 2008
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