Blog

On Saturday, April 18th the Haystack Rock Awareness Program’s exhibit on the Tide Pools of Haystack Rock opened to rave reviews. The seasonal exhibit encompasses the entire John Williams classroom with beautiful photos featuring the wildlife that live in and around the rock, as well as the history of this important Cannon Beach program. The […]

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 […]

Attention Cannon Beach Cottage & Garden Tour fans and fans of home tours!  It’s almost time to put on your walking shoes to take a tour through Cannon Beach’s unique homes and gardens.  Advance tickets will be available for purchase on Wednesday, July 1st, 2015.  The Tour will take place on September 12 and 13, […]

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 […]

May, that month just just before summer weather begins and last minute planting takes place.  For some, May is the end of the school year, the beginning of a new job, or just another month in a series of twelve.  For the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum, May couldn’t be any better! This month […]

If you haven’t had a chance to see the Museum’s exhibit on the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, now is your chance.  The exhibit, which closes on May 15, 2015, explores the history, life of, and after life of the secluded lighthouse.  The Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, known affectionately as Terrible Tilly, or just Tilly. Tilly’s story first […]

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 […]

On Thursday, April 16 at 7:00 p.m. Oregon author Bonnie Henderson will present her latest book “The Next Tsunami: Living on a Restless Coast” at the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum. The Next Tsunami: Living on a Restless Coast is the gripping story of the geological discoveries and the scientists who uncovered them – […]

In just a few weeks High Fiber Diet’s exhibit “Blue” closes. For those who haven’t had an opportunity to see the colorful and imaginative pieces, now is your last chance. This is the second show from the Portland, Oregon based textile group to be featured at the Museum. The group of over thirty quilters includes […]

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.  […]

It’s hard to believe that plans for the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum twelfth annual Cottage & Garden Tour have already begun.  It seems only yesterday, that the tour was organized by only five volunteers and catered to just thirty attendees.  The Tour now boasts over five hundred annual attendees and, thankfully, over thirty […]

For the past month the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum has been closed while the archives were renovating.  Staff and board members have delved into the deepest parts of the archives and found some great artifacts and images!  We thought we’d share some of our favorites. Here’s an amazing photo dating back to 1907 […]

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 & […]

The Cannon Beach History Center & Museum welcomes Oregon singer and songwriter John Baumann to perform as part of the Museum’s annual acoustic series on Friday, February 27, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. Baumann has been performing for over twenty years.   Baumann’s style has been compared to that of Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, and even Stephen […]

Looking for something to do for Valentine’s Day week? Look no further than the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum’s free lecture series. The series kicks off on Thursday, February 12th at 7:00 p.m. with a presentation by Oregon author Ed Kamholz. Edward J. Kamholz grew up in Vernonia, Oregon, home of Oregon-American operations. His […]

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 […]

On a secluded rock, just over a mile off Oregon’s rocky shores lies the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse.  Terrible Tilly, as it became known as, is one of the most fascinating and secluded lighthouses of America.  In operation from 1881 until it was decommissioned by the U.S. Coast Guard in 1957. The lonely basalt rock on […]

Since its beginning, Arch Cape has been isolated by the natural barriers of the Tillamook Headland, Hug Point, the Arch Cape headland, and Neahkahnie Mountain. Early settlers would use the beach as a highway, and in the 1910’s the roadbed around Hug Point was blasted out, which made the commute between Cannon Beach and Arch […]