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Oregon County
Hood River County, Oregon
Hood River - the windsurfing capital of the world and fruit loop orchards - from Hood River's windsurfing and kiteboarding dominance (the Columbia River Gorge at Hood River - where the prevailing westerly winds funnel through the gap between the Cascade mountains and accelerate to speeds perfect for windsurfing - is the windsurfing capital of the world, drawing elite athletes and recreational sailors from across the globe to what is universally regarded as the finest wind sports location in North America) to the Hood River Fruit Loop (the 35-mile scenic drive through the orchards of the Hood River Valley beneath Mount Hood - whose apple, pear, cherry, and lavender farms provide a pastoral agricultural experience in the shadow of one of the Cascades' most iconic volcanic peaks).
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Office: Hood River County Emergency Management – operates within the Sheriff’s Office; Emergency Program Manager Charles Young, 601 State St, Hood River, OR 97031 | (541) 386-1213 | [email protected]; a regional (Columbia River Gorge) resource partnering across cities, counties, fire, 911, schools, medical, and health agencies; residents encouraged to be self-sufficient for up to 3 weeks in a major disaster.
Public Health Emergency: Ian Stromquist, REHS – 1109 June St., Hood River, OR 97031 | (541) 387-7130 (desk) | 24/7 emergency contact: (541) 386-2711.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-84 and OR-35 serve Hood River, the county seat, on the Columbia River between Portland and The Dalles.
Notes: Hood River County was established in 1908 and sits between Mt. Hood and the Columbia River, with a 2023 population just over 23,700.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Hood River County Building/Permits – confirm current phone via hoodrivercounty.gov.
Notes: Hood River is genuinely, internationally known as the “Windsurfing Capital of the World” – the Columbia River Gorge’s high basalt cliffs funnel consistent thermal winds that draw windsurfers and kiteboarders from around the globe, especially June through September. The surrounding Hood River Valley is the largest producer of Anjou pears in the United States, and has grown fruit commercially since the first trees were planted in 1854 – today over 16,000 acres of pears, apples, and cherries. The Hood River Fruit Loop, a 35-mile scenic drive with 30+ stops, celebrates this heritage. The Hood River County Library building itself (502 State St., built 1913-14, architects Sutton and Whitney/L.A. Woodward) is NRHP-listed (1998) – a community-driven Carnegie-grant project ($17,500), with the adjacent Georgiana Smith Park completed in 1935.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Hood River County Veteran Service Office (HRCVSO) – 309 State Street, 1st floor of the Hood River County Courthouse, Hood River, OR 97031 | (541) 386-1080 | Fax: (541) 386-1128 | [email protected]; CVSO Lynetta Hickman; closed daily 12:30-1 PM for lunch; appointment required, call ahead.
Federal: Veterans Crisis Line – 988, press 1.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Hood River County Library District – Main Library, 502 State St., Hood River, OR 97031 | (541) 386-2535 | Hours: Tue-Thu 10 AM-7 PM, Fri-Sat 10 AM-6 PM, closed Sun-Mon; NRHP-listed 1913-14 Carnegie-era building.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Hood River Waterfront Park (the county’s premier windsurfing/kiteboarding launch site) and the Hood River Fruit Loop are the county’s signature attractions.
Notes: The genuine “Windsurfing Capital of the World” heritage and largest-Anjou-pear-producer-in-the-US distinction are among the most distinctive, checkable local facts covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Hood River County Assessor – confirm current phone via hoodrivercounty.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
County: Hood River County Animal Control – 309 State Street, Hood River, OR 97031 | (541) 387-7037 | Hours: Mon-Fri 9 AM-5 PM; a division of the County Sheriff’s Office providing shelter, 24-hour emergency response for injured strays, and enforcement.
Shelter: Hukari Animal Shelter (Adopt A Dog) – 3910 Heron Drive, Hood River, OR 97031 | (541) 354-1083; established 2007.
Notes: Dogs 6 months and older must be licensed countywide.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Hood River County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via hoodrivercounty.gov.
NOTES: Hood River County is the seventh and final county in the Oregon v2 redo’s second batch (Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Hood River). The genuine “Windsurfing Capital of the World” and Anjou-pear-production heritage are distinctive, nationally recognizable local facts. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Hood River County
Hood River County is the windsurfing capital of the world – the Columbia River Gorge’s perfectly funneled westerly winds make Hood River the premier wind sports destination on Earth, and the Hood River Fruit Loop’s apple and pear orchards beneath Mount Hood define one of the Pacific Northwest’s most scenic agricultural landscapes.
Hood River (the county seat, population ~8,000) is one of the Pacific Northwest’s most livable small cities – the gorge recreation economy, the craft brewing scene, and the orchard agriculture attract an outdoor recreation community of exceptional vibrancy.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Hood River County Assessor at 601 State Street, Hood River, OR 97031, phone 541-386-1301. OR Measure 50 limits assessed value increases.
Courts & Legal
Hood River County Circuit Court at 309 State Street, Hood River, OR 97031, phone 541-386-3535, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
601 State St, Hood River, OR 97031
(541) 386-1442
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Hood River County Circuit Court, Hood River (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Hood River County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Hood River County Circuit Court 309 State Street, Hood River, OR 97031 (541) 386-3535
Hood River County is in north-central Oregon along the Columbia River Gorge, seated in Hood River – Oregon’s 2nd smallest county by area.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Oregon has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code, maintaining its own independent probate code under ORS Chapters 111 through 117. Probate is handled in the probate department of the Circuit Court in the county where the decedent lived (ORS 111.085). Oregon does not offer a separate unsupervised/informal probate track – its “simple estate” process and formal administration are the two paths.
Simple Estate Affidavit (ORS 114.505–114.560) – available when the total fair market value of the estate is $275,000 or less, made up of no more than $75,000 in personal property and no more than $200,000 in real property. The affidavit (“Affidavit of Claiming Successor”) cannot be filed until at least 30 days after death and must be filed with the clerk of the probate court. It requires a detailed asset description, a list of known creditors, and notice that claims are barred unless presented within 4 months of filing.
Full Probate Administration – required for estates that exceed the simple estate limits or don’t otherwise qualify. A personal representative is appointed by the court and administers the estate under ongoing court oversight.
Step 2: filing for administration
A petition for probate is filed in the Circuit Court in the county where the decedent resided (or, for simple estates, an Affidavit of Claiming Successor is filed with the probate clerk at least 30 days after death).
If a will exists, it’s filed with the petition or affidavit.
For full administration, the court appoints a personal representative and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Notice is given to heirs, devisees, and creditors; claims against the estate must generally be presented within the statutory period.
The personal representative (or affiant, for simple estates) inventories assets, pays valid debts and taxes, and distributes what remains according to the will or Oregon’s intestacy laws.
Full administration closes once a final account is filed and approved by the court; simple estates close once assets are distributed and any required notices are filed.
What it costs
Filing fees vary; check with Hood River County directly for current fees.
Oregon imposes a state estate tax on estates exceeding approximately $1,000,000, with rates ranging from 10% to 16%. No state inheritance tax.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
309 State St, Hood River, OR 97031
(541) 386-2711
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
601 State St, Hood River, OR 97031
(541) 386-1442
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
1620 May St, Hood River, OR 97031
(541) 387-6890
Department of Human Services
1620 May St, Hood River, OR 97031
(541) 387-6850
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Hood River County Health Department – 1109 June St., Hood River, OR 97031 | (541) 387-7130.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Hood River
Population: 24,000
Established: 1908
Tier: 3
Public Records
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