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The Klickitat County News, Bingen, WA., May 31, 1934, page 8

BINGEN IS COMING CITY
New Businesses, New Building Feature Growth of Klickitat County Town

Bingen, Klickitat county's fastest growing city, according to boosters there, has reason to believe that that the next few years will be good to that community.
Located on the popular Evergreen highway and at the north junction of the Hood River bridge, and fronting the Bonneville lake soon to be created by the Bonneville dam, Bingen shows promise of becoming one of the most progressive smaller cities on the Washington shore east of Vancouver.
At present, Bingen's largest industry is the lumber and box shook manufacture, all done in the city's corporate limits. With the establishment of the Bonneville dam, providing deep water to Bingen's front yard, shipping from this point may become a major item as the years roll around.
A great supply of fine timber awaits the woodman's axe in the forest to the north. Some of the finest pine and fir timber in the northwest may be found within an easy hauling radius of the town. Improved road conditions and the downhill haul, make for a more improved lumber and box industry for the little city.
It was not so many years ago, that Bingen was merely a wide spot on the highway. Perhaps a service station or two and a restaurant for the accommodation of the tourists who chanced to choose the north side of the Columbia for their trip instead of the Columbia River highway.
With the improvement of the Evergreen highway, new construction of arterial highways leading into the community and a general improvement in business conditions, Bingen is making a bid for new business as well as more population.
There was a time, and not too far back, when Bingen had to count the cats and dogs in the community to account for 100 inhabitants. According to the 1930 census, 450 persons were residing within the limits of the city. Boosters, and there are many of them, state that little effort would have to be done at the present to find a population of 500 and even 600. The accuracy of the latter figures depends upon the veracity of the residents with whom conversation was held.
From a small community of three or four small business houses, today Bingen boasts well over 20 substantial business establishments. The bulk of these larger stores have been improved within the past 18 months and many new business houses have moved into Bingen within that time.
Building for new establishments is noticeable on the main street. There are lit at least three new buildings to be built within the next few months. One is now under construction.
Bingen, like Goldendale, has its housing problem. While rents are not particularly high, houses and apartments are at a premium.
The outsider's impression of Bingen is good. The streets lined with cars, the residents seem to have plenty of business down town and the general appearance is busy. Bingen is a town of destiny.