Farm & Sea & Family
Farm & Sea & Family Driving slowly past Bandon’s charming harbor and Old Town restaurants and shops, I can make out the tall green industrial building on the Coquille River up ahead. For decades it was a successful processing plant for locally caught seafood. Today it is the home of Lori Osborne’s Farm & Sea […]
Bandon, The Cranberry Capital of the World
Bandon, The Cranberry Capital of the World It may surprise some to learn that Bandon, with its temperate climate and crashing surf, is an ideal place for growing cranberries, and it has grown to a center of production since the berries were first commercially grown here in the 1890’s. In fact, today these cranberries make […]
The Bandon History Museum
Bandon History Museum There are many wonderful things to do in Bandon, some indulgent like a tasty meal at Pacific Blues, some like an educational tour of Washed Ashore, some active like hiking, biking, or horseback riding, and some cultural like a play at the Bandon Playhouse. One of the most interesting, and perhaps one of the most important for understanding […]
Oregon’s Public Beaches: A History
Oregon’s Public Beaches: A History Oregon’s public beaches are some of the things that make Oregon great, but they were not always open to everyone. If sight of sand and sky and sea has given respite from your daily cares, then pause to thank Oswald West former governor of Oregon (1911-1915). By his foresight, nearly […]
Meet Victoria Tierney: Bandon Artist
Meet Victoria Tierney: Bandon Artist Bandon is becoming an increasingly well-known town around Oregon and beyond. The beaches are gorgeous, the cheese is hard to beat, the Cranberry Festival is hoppin, and the golf is world-class. A quieter but strong claim to fame for our fair town, however, is the depth and breadth of the art world. From the visual arts to music […]
Bandon’s Gorse Then and Now
Bandon’s Gorse Then and Now After Bandon, Ireland native Lord George Bennett founded Bandon, Oregon in 1873, he must have been feeling homesick when he imported gorse, the Scotch broom relative from Ireland, and planted it as an ornamental shrub. Little did he know it would spread for miles around, cover the beaches at the […]
A Dozen Things to do on a Rainy Day in Bandon
A Dozen Things to do on a Rainy Day in Bandon The winter rain on Oregon’s South Coast is a bit of a mixed blessing. We love the fact that it means green trees and plants and that it secures our water sources, but it also means many of our outdoor activities become a little […]
Bandon’s Sea Stacks
Bandon’s Sea Stacks Most people don’t know the term “sea stacks,” even in Bandon, but everyone knows of Bandon’s most famous sea stack. A beautiful and sad Native American legend tells the story of Bandon’s iconic Face Rock. According to the legend, Princess Ewanua was visiting the coast with her father, and after a celebratory potlatch […]
The Fascinating History of the New River
The Fascinating History of the New River At the end of a quiet road 10 miles south of Bandon is a hidden gem. Over 1000 acres of public land are nestled along a quietly flowing 8-mile long river with a few miles of hiking trails, a tranquil lake, seasonal boat access into the river, ocean […]
Must-See Lighthouses on Oregon’s Southern Coast
Must-See Lighthouses on Oregon’s Southern Coast There are 11 lighthouses that remain on the Oregon Coast. The first lighthouse was built at the mouth of the Umpqua River in 1855. It was first lit in 1857. It warned sailors approaching the coastline for four years. It fell into the river in 1863. A new lighthouse […]