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The Three Capes Scenic Route ends at Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City is home
to the Dory Fleet. During early mornings you can watch Dory Boats launch
directly off the beach into the Pacific Ocean. These flat bottom boats are
designed just for the beach and fun for the entire family to
watch.. There are fishing charters available for those who would like to
fish in the ocean or rivers. Visit Pacific City the second week of July
for the celebration of the Dory Fleet during the annual Dory Days
Festival, also visit the last week of February for the annual Birding and
Blues Festival. .
 Only
one mile off the beach in Pacific City is Haystack Rock at 322 feet high.
This large Rock is sanctuary to a large selection of birds including the
popular puffin. Beautiful sunsets can be seen from the beach. Be sure to
bring your camera, as the sunsets behind Haystack Rock are some of the
most spectacular you will ever see.
Some other beach activities include: hand gliding, beach combing,
surfing, kite flying, and a relaxing stroll on the beach. At Cape Kiwanda
be sure to go to the tide pools during low tide. You can spot various sea
life such as starfish, crabs, small fish, sand-crabs, mussels, sand
dollars, beach agates, and sea anemone at the tide pools. These tide pools
are home to so many different sea life, so please do not take any home
with you. There is no overnight camping on the beach, but you are allowed
to drive onto the beach. During the winter months, the ocean is most
active with winter storms and tourists love to watch the huge waves
crash against the beaches in Oregon. You might even find a glass-float on
the beach after a storm.
Pacific City, Oregon offers three access points to the beach. The first
access point is at Bob Straub State Park. Restroom facilities, parking and
horseback riding trails are located here. The second walking access point
is on Pacific Ave. The third access point at Cape Kiwanda allows for motor
vehicles on the beach and a large parking area.. The Nestucca River runs
through Pacific City and empties into the ocean only one mile south of
Pacific City. Salmon fishing is a great sporting event during the Spring
and Fall.
History:
By 1854, there were only a handful of settlers in the Tillamook Valley and
the only access from the Willamette Valley was over the very crude Hebo
Trail laid out by these early settlers. This trail ran from Grand Ronde
over Mt Hebo (originally called Mt. Heavo) to where Hebo is today and then
followed an old indian trail 20 miles to the Tillamook Valley. Before the
settlers began arriving to the Nestucca Valley in the 1870's, it was
populated by Indian Tribes of the Nestuggas and the Killamooks (note the
name origin of the Nestucca River and Tillamook). The original name of
Haystack Rock is said to be "Chief Kiawanda Rock" named after a very well
known Chief of the Nestugga Tribe from the early 1800's (note spelling
difference). By the time the Tribes were relocated from their homes to a
reservation on the Salmon and Siletz River, the Indians numbered around
200. Around 1876, Chief Nestugga Bill and the last of the small tribe,
paddled down the Little Nestucca River across the bar into the Pacific
Ocean and headed south to their new home.
Along the Nestucca River many of the early pioneers came on
sea going steamers such as The Della, The Elmore, and The Gerald C.. These
steamers frequented the rivers, bays, and bars from San Francisco to
Astoria. Other pioneers traveled over the mountains by rough trails
crossing many rivers with no bridges. In 1882, a road from Grand Ronde to
the Nestucca Valley was completed greatly improving travel. Many
descendants of the early settlers still live in the area.
Because fish (salmon) were so plentiful in the Nestucca Bay, a commercial
cannery was built in 1886 by Linewebber and Brown. It was located on the
east side of the bay and thrived for many years.. The cannery canned and shipped 12,000 cans of salmon
a year. The fishermen and cannery workers both made a good living.
Fishing, Logging, and eventually Dairy Farming, became the primary
occupations in the valley. Because of the unique location near both river
and ocean, it became the focus of recreation. Early "vacationers" would
brave the elements by buckboard and horseback coming from the Willamette
Valley to enjoy the Pacific Ocean and the river. It was usually at least a
2 day trek. Many of these early resort seekers had never seen the ocean
having come from the Midwest on the Oregon Trail. Campgrounds and
facilities soon sprang up to accommodate these travelers.
Originally called Ocean Park, the area was homesteaded by Thomas Malaney
who platted the town in 1893. It was originally located across the river
from Woods, which at the time had already been established as a major
depot and trading hub for supplies for the settlers. Though Malaney and
his brother had already sold some lots, a flood covered the area in 1894
before any houses could be built much to the chagrin of the lot owners.
Malaney moved the town further south to higher ground (where it is now)
and gave new lots to the previous buyers. The new town created competition
for Woods who were not happy about the new venture.
A hotel was built around 1895 called the Sea View and later named the
Edmundes Hotel. Visitors from the Willamette Valley stayed at the hotel
and nearby campgrounds. There was a fishing dock, recreation hall (Dance
Hall), and store along the river at the foot of Ferry Road where a hand
operated ferry would shuttle pedestrians, wagons, buckboards, and
eventually autos across the river to the ocean beach. A wooden plank road
was built down Ferry Street to keep the autos from becoming stuck in the
sand.
Kelp ore was discovered in 1904 by Thomas Brooten (pronounced Brahton) who
built a large compound to which patients from all over the US (and some
foreign countries) came for the healing properties of the ore. The resort
was later turned over to his son H.H. Brooten who ran the business for
many years. The sick would bathe in special baths, apply it directly to
the skin, or take it by mouth. There appeared to be redeeming properties
to the ore and it was used by many as a last resort to heal their ailment.
This helped put the area on the map (literally). The famous Brooten Kelp
Ore Resort flourished until it's peak during the 1920s when an outbreak of
tuberculosis eventually closed the enterprise.
Because of confusion with another Ocean Park in Washington, the name was
changed in 1909 to Pacific City and a Post Office was established. By
1910, a school was built attended by about 12 children the first year. A
weekly publication called the "The Pacific City Lookout" publicized the
the ecstasy of living at the new resort area. The town prospered and grew
with many new businesses being established to accommodate the growing
number of visitors as well as the permanent residents.
In 1926, with the once plentiful salmon population dwindling, there was an
outcry by non-commercial fishermen to stop the unmanaged harvest. A state
law was passed to close the bay and it's tributaries to commercial fishing
(still in effect today). This action was instrumental in developing
Pacific City's famous Dory Fleet who would launch their double ended
fishing boats off the beach into the surf. Although in use during the
early 1900's, the dories came into their own now. Entering the open sea
was dangerous when crossing the bar at the mouth of the Nestucca Bay, so
these hearty souls would battle the surf to gain access to the salmon off
shore. Pacific City is one of only a couple dory surf launches on the west
coast even today. The first dories were launched into the surf by horses
as well as motor vehicles. During the 60's and 70's, the dory fleet
numbered well into the several hundreds whose catch were bought by several
fish buying stations. With larger commercial fishing vessels eventually
supplying the demand for salmon, the Dory Fleet has slowly dwindled to
only a few today. However, there are many of the old dories still being
launched by recreational fishermen keeping the tradition very much alive.
Many old timers in town, along with some long time visitors, claim Pacific
City has changed much during the last 40 years. However, compared to other
coastal towns, it remains a relatively undeveloped quaint village and has
retained everything that originally attracted early settlers and visitors.
Pacific City is still unincorporated and has no mayor or city council.
Bordered on three sides by BLM land, and the Pacific Ocean on the forth,
further development of the area will be greatly restricted.
Progress is slower today than it was a hundred years ago.
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