kccfboom.html

The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., November 1, 1951, page 4

FIRST BIG BOOM IN COUNTY'S HISTORY MAY BE A RESULT OF DAM BUILDING

Construction of The Dalles dam will probably bring to Klickitat County the first really big boom in its history.
We have some doubts about the effect of the boom, how-ever. At first glance, It would appear that the boom would be felt most on this side of the river, since 90 per cent of the dam will be on this side. But The Dalles bridge, now under construction, enters the picture. With the bridge a reality, the workers at the dam will be able to cross the river and live in a bigger city than they could find on this side of the river. Even if they choose to live in Klickitat County, the principal shopping center for them will no doubt be The Dalles.
At the same time, industries and businesses in Klickitat County will be drained of employees, who no doubt will be attracted by larger paychecks to the dam job.
Many of those who come from the cities of the Pacific Northwest to take jobs at the dam site will be unable to find lodging in The Dalles. The spillover will compete for housing in the towns of this county as far away as Goldendale. Rents will be driven up, because housing is not plentiful now, and workers from the towns in Klickitat County who go to work at the dam will probably maintain their residences in the communities in which they now live.
Plenty of money will be in circulation, housing problems will be acute, and labor will be scarce.
But there will be boom conditions in the county, and that will be a change for which preparations should now be made.