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Hover, Washington

In 1902, developer Herbert A. Hover purchased land along the Columbia River, which he sold in 5-, 10-, and 20-acre parcels intended for fruit farming. The town of Hover soon boasted its own newspaper, grocery store, hotel, saloon, blacksmith shop, church, and even an opera house. Despite its rapid growth, the young community faced challenges: a 1910 fire incinerated many of the town’s buildings, fruit cultivation proved more difficult than anticipated, and the 1920s agricultural depression impacted area farmers and led to a decrease in population. Furthermore, Hover did not have its own water system, and residents depended on the Columbia River for drinking water. Farmers who stayed in Hover made due by diversifying their crops: William and Charles Mills, for example, planted vegetables, ran a dairy, and raised chickens in addition to growing cherries, peaches, and melons. In the town’s later days, the school was the center of community life, and the site of everything from 4-H presentations to youth basketball games. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers bought out Hover residents before the townsite was inundated by McNary Dam in 1953.