Brookings Luxury & Waterfront Homes For Sale

Brookings began as a logging town founded in 1913 by John Brookings, brother to Robert Brookings who went on to found the well-known Brookings Institute. The town was isolated in the early years, relying primarily on sea traffic to transport goods to the town and ship timber on the return trip to San Francisco. With the completion of the Roosevelt Highway in the 1930s (Highway 101), Brookings became more accessible to the rest of the Oregon and California coastlines. Tourism began to play a larger role in the economy.

The area has the dubious distinction of having been bombed by the Japanese during WWII. On September 9, 1942 a small floatplane was launched from a Japanese submarine with incendiary bombs designed to start massive forest fires. The plan did not succeed and the pilot of the craft, Nobuo Fujita, returned to Brookings in 1962 to donate his family’s 400 year old Samurai sword to the town as a gesture of apology. Today it rests in the town mayor’s office.

In the 1950s and 1960s, timber, fishing and tourism were mainstays of the economy, in addition to a then growing production of Easter lily bulbs. It is said that the area contributed over 90% of the world’s production of the crop even into the 1990s.

The Chetco River, flowing through the lower part of Brookings, is recognized for being one of the most pristine watersheds and consequently is federally protected under the WIld and Scenic River Act originally signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in October 1968. The Chetco is a popular fishing, camping and outdoor recreational spot visited by thousands every year.

The Brookings harbor has a full service marina, docks, shops and restaurants. It is visited by more than 5,000 commercial fishing vessels annually and hosts over 31,000 boating trips for 95,000 people each year. The town has two major park attractions. Azalea Park is beautifully landscaped with 33 acres of native azaleas, with picnic spots, a softball field and playground, hosting a variety of local event s throughout the year. Harris State Park and the Samuel Boardman Scenic Corridor offer 12 miles of terrific coastline with warm sand, ocean breezes, RV and tent camping areas, and plenty of opportunities for bird and people watching. For the golfers, there’s the beautiful Salmon Run Golf Course just 3.5 miles from downtown Brookings. The long awaited Pacific Gales Golf Course located north of Port Orford is set to open soon and promises to be another spectacular course. And of course Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is in Bandon, about an hour and a half drive to the north, with a number of excellent, highly rated courses.

Brookings is a terrific destination for people of all ages, with something for everyone. There’s a winter Art & Chocolate Festival, a Kite Festival, a Wild Rogue Running Relay, an Oktoberfest, a Coastal Holiday Festival, a Wild Rivers Music Festival, disc golf, softball fields, a wonderful library, and much more all waiting to be discovered. 

Come to Brookings Oregon and find the home of your dreams.