Winter 2025-26
During my first summers in Hood River in the early 1990s, the River City Saloon was the place to hang out after a day on the water. The most memorable nights were when Moe Dixon played late, and the crowd spilled out the door to dance in the street. Sunburned and windblown, we didn’t pay much attention to the abandoned building above. I didn’t know then that there were once 100 hotel guest rooms up there and a fourth-floor deck, or that in the building’s core was the city’s first elevator.
In the early 2000s, after Bob Carnahan bought the building, he gave me a tour of the abandoned upper floors. They were a mess of peeling wallpaper, broken glass and dingy clawfoot bathtubs. Bob’s dream of restoring the hotel was never realized, but he did get the River City Saloon opened up again after a years-long closure that began in the late ‘90s.
In November, more than 50 years after the building’s upper floors were condemned in 1973, the Lightwell Hotel & Spa opened its doors. A community open house was packed with people excited to see this long-neglected building reborn, and curious about how it all looked after three years of renovation. It did not disappoint. With lots of historic features incorporated into the design, the development team honored the building’s past while creating a modern, tasteful and welcoming space. Kudos to them for breathing new life into this historic landmark, and doing it so beautifully. Our story about the Lightwell starts on page 28.
Another Gorge destination recently resurrected is Bonneville Hot Springs Resort & Spa. The site’s mineral springs have always been a draw, known to Native Americans long before settler Thomas Moffett built a guest lodge there in the late 1800s. Over the next century, lodgings came and went. After a years-long closure of the most recent resort, the property was bought, renovated and opened earlier this year even as upgrades continue. Molly Allen’s story about the resort begins on page 18.
Renewal seems to be a theme in this issue, and you’ll find it in Don Campbell’s story about the Carson Art Garage, a gallery and community gathering space imagined and crafted by metal artist Steve Kowats in a former car dealership (page 46). It’s also in Jana Shepherd’s piece on the new Surf Mill in Bingen, built on the site of a 1920s-era Moose Lodge and serving as the North American hub for water sports company Forward Maui (page 10).
Along with these and other stories, you’ll find our Health + Wellness special advertising section starting on page 38. Whether renewing your commitment to your wellness journey or looking to augment your current routine, check out this resource guide to learn more about a variety of local providers.
We hope you find lots to like in this issue. Have a great winter!
— Janet Cook, Editor
