Articles

It’s October, that means it’s officially spooky season.  If you’re anything like me, it means it’s time to suspend your disbelief and tune into some tall tales for a little bit of spooky.  Below I’ll share some of my favorite stories from Cannon Beach.  I wrote about these stories a few years ago and I […]

Why is the story of the USS Shark so important to the communities of Arch Cape and Cannon Beach? The USS Shark was an 86-foot long schooner with a depth of just 10 feet 3 inches.  She was designed to navigate the shallow waters of the West Indies.  Constructed in 1821, she was built for […]

Many of us are watching as much of Oregon, Washing, and California burn. The fires have been so bad and so devastating that the smoke has even reached the coast this week. Making the air nearly unbreathable. Many have compared what is happening now to the Tillamook Burn. The high-heat, high-wind and low humidity are […]

The Crab Broiler is a look back on a special time on the Oregon coast.  A time when tourism was just starting to find a niche and the culinary world was just getting a good look at Oregon, let alone the coast.  The Crab Broiler was a place you might find Za Za Gabor or […]

  This time of year the beautiful Rhododendrons along the coast are in bloom. Rhododendrons are a hearty, low maintenance plant that does really well at the coast. While driving south on Highway 101 you can’t help, but notice the giant rhododendrons at Hug Point. These beautiful plants once marked the driveway of a beautiful […]

Fire has been a big concern on the minds of many in the Pacific Northwest. With the recent record high heat, low precipitation, it seems this summer has been primed as repeat in history. One such fire that has been on my mind is the Tillamook Burn, which occurred not far from Cannon Beach in […]

With the recent article in the New Yorker making the rounds, I thought this would be a good time to look back on what happened in 1964. Some of you are probably saying, “Okay, I get it, tsunamis. The coast is a dangerous place.” Insert eye roll here, but the thing is a tsunami is […]

The Cannon Beach History Center & Museum’s latest exhibit WWII on the Oregon Coast explores a series of historic events, shared stories and artifacts. What it is missing are several stories that occurred in Oregon and pretty close by that not many recall or even know about. One of our favorite stories came from the […]

Have YOU ever heard about the S.S. Cannon Beach? If you have, count yourself among the lucky few.  There are very few people living in Cannon Beach, in Oregon, or pretty much anywhere else that have even heard of this World War II era ship. Even former Senator Hatfield hadn’t heard of the Ship in […]

On December 7, 1941, citizens across the nation who were listening to their radios heard through the static the shocking announcement. The Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor. World War II had begun. Fear of an attack on American soil was prevalent across the U.S., but especially along the West coast. As Les Ordway and George […]

Ever wonder how Cannon Beach got its name? The story is as confusing as most historical rumor wrapped tales, but it is still pretty darn good.  From the parcel at Elk Creek, to the town known simply as “Ecola”, eventually became Cannon Beach, but that’s not really the story we are going to focus on.  […]

The historic summer retreat of former Governor Oswald West’s is as recognizable to many visitors as Haystack Rock or the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse. Though many might not know the historic significance it is has become an iconic part of Cannon Beach – the home that everyone wants to see. The Cannon Beach History Center & […]

One of our favorite places to hike is Ecola State Park.  On the North end of Cannon Beach, this beautiful State Park has one of the best views of Cannon Beach and the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse.  The location is so “grand” that a number of major films have been shot there. Goonies, hello! It has […]

One of the most iconic images of the Oregon Coast is Haystack Rock. It has been featured in magazines, artwork, and in photos from around the world. It has even, dare we say, become a member of the family? It has been prominently featured in family photos, wedding shots, and the like. This basalt “sea […]

It was eight o’clock, January 3, 1881.  The New Year had come and gone, but construction of the Tillamook Rock lighthouse carried on.  The construction crew had been at it for 525 days, living in canvas A-tents fastened through ringbolts imbedded right into the basalt of Tillamook Rock.  This was necessary to keep their makeshift […]

Those of us who have grown up on the coast have heard the story of Lewis, Clark, and the Corps of Discovery. Lewis and Clark set out in 1804 with a score of companions, commissioned as the Corps of Discovery, to explore the vast wilderness of the recently acquired Louisiana Purchase. It took them just […]

This article is about a local heroine, who had the same gumption I equate with another historical figure of significance, Gertrude Bell. Mary Gerritse, to me, was Oregon’s very own Gertrude Bell. For those who have not heard of Gertrude Bell she was a traveler, explorer, and mapmaker, and at times an accidental policy maker. […]

The initial surge of homesteaders in Cannon Beach, which can first dated back to 1848, found the pristine locale deceptively difficult to tame.  From razing the land of stalwart spruce to battling wind-charged rainfall, the modest act of building a structure was multiplied in complexity for even the most determined would-be residents.  And yet they […]

  The early 20th century was an uncomplicated time for Cannon Beach. It was an era of families, friends, and the simple life. Families who, at this time, traveled by stagecoach, wagon, or by foot. Long-time resident and author of Comin’ in Over the Rock, Peter Lindsey compares the journey from Seaside to Cannon Beach […]