Blog

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 […]

World-renowned jazz guitarist John Stowell will make his third appearance in Cannon Beach at the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum on January 4th. John Stowell has traveled the world performing for many years, in fact, Stowell is just finishing another world tour.   Stowell was the first American Jazz performer to appear in Russia […]

Come one, come all, to the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum’s annual Appreciation Party on Friday, December 7th at 6:00 p.m. The festivities will begin with food, wine, and friends both old and new. At 6:30 p.m. the History Center will induct the 2012 History Heroes. This year three dedicated volunteers were chosen by […]

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 Cannon Beach History Center & Museum is proud to welcome Michael Turner from GeerCrest Farm & Historical Society. Turner will be presenting his first full-length biography, The Life of Vesper Geer. This award winning biography tells the story of a woman’s enduring love for her small farm. The biography is made up of archival […]

  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 […]

The Cannon Beach History Center & Museum is looking forward to its upcoming annual fundraiser, the 9th Annual Cottage Tour.  The tour, to be held Saturday and Sunday the 8th & 9th of September, will be returning to the Presidential streets of Cannon Beach. Tour goers will delight in getaway beach homes, historic cottages, and […]

Nearly everyday a visitor to the museum will comment about how much our small town has changed over the years. Hotels are razed, restaurants replaced, family homes moved or torn down. It is rare to find a home in Cannon Beach that remains unchanged for 100 years. In the early 1900’s the streets of Cannon […]

While conducting research recently I came across on article about how much the average American knows about the history of their country. The article shared the results of a survey that Newsweek conducted last year. This survey showed that less than 30% of Americans knew what the constitution was, and even less, a shocking 6% […]

As Sandcastle Day nears its 50th Anniversary one can’t help, but reflect on the original spirit of this amazing event.  The first Sandcastle was held just a few months after  one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in U.S. history.  This Megathrust quake sometimes referred to as the Good Friday Earthquake shook Anchorage, Alaska […]

Come celebrate the Anniversary of Cannon Beach’s name with Portland favorite Beth Willis Rock Duo. Soul-blues diva Beth Willis will serenade listeners accompanied by guitarist Todd Chatalas at the Cannon Beach History Center on Friday May 25th at 7:30 p.m. We will open the doors at 7 p.m.   We are excited to celebrate the […]

Coast Community Radio’s own Joanne Rideout to make a rare appearance at the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum on Wednesday May 9th at 7 p.m. Rideout will be sharing photos and stories from time spent at sea aboard a bulk carrier in 2010. Prior to moving to the coast Rideout lived in the desert […]

May 22 is National Maritime Day, and a day on which we should all take a moment to thank those who protected our shores.  Maritime Day, which first became a national holiday in 1933, is a day of celebration and contemplation for many coastal residents and history buffs, for whom it is as important as […]

    The Cannon Beach History Center & Museum is excited to announce that author Tara Rae Miner has agreed to appear at the museum on April 22nd to celebrate Earth Day with us. Miner grew up in a small logging town here in the Pacific Northwest. She received her Masters degree in science from […]

The Cannon Beach History Center & Museum is honored to have Portland State University alum and adjunct professor, Dr. Cameron M. Smith at the give a lecture on his new book The Fact of Evolution. Smith’s interest in evolution began in the late 80’s, while studying with Harvard University’s archaeology field school program at the […]

Tuesday April 3rd at 7:00 p.m. World renown jazz guitarist John Stowell will return to the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum with acclaimed violinist Paul Patterson. Stowell and Patterson have both traveled the world performing for many years, first meeting and playing together in the 80’s. John Stowell was the first American Jazz performer […]

The Cannon Beach History Center & Museum is proud to present Robert Richter on Saturday March 31st.  Richter is a well known singer and songwriter that enjoys story telling.  Richter will be performing with a guitar and a slide guitar in honor of Woody Guthrie.  Guthrie would have been 100 in 2012 and Richter would […]

My favorite story of Cannon Beach is the journey, how did people get here, why did they come here, why do they continue to come here? For some, the journey began with the long road from Portland (luckily now only a two-hour commute). Travelers would journey along the Columbia River in riverboats, then by train, […]