Gearhart, OR beach |
As waves rolled in, they watched an empty sea for ships on the horizon. Peace and quiet faded to long days of tense waiting for supplies that never came. The 1805-1806 Lewis and Clark Expedition now made plans to winter on the Oregon coast. In the spring, they tackled the long journey home by land.
One hundred years later, fiction character, Stuart Brannon, lingered nearby the same spot along Gearhart, Oregon beach. Lost in the mesmerizing waves as though he also expected his ship to appear, he pondered the end of the Old West and trying to cope with New West ways.
His friend, Lord Edwin Fletcher, remarked: “I’ll bet you wish you were back there with them.”
Brannon, an old Arizona rancher of fifty-eight, out of his element wearing suit, tie, hat and boots, had to agree. "I'm not ready for auto cars and telephones and moving pictures." He raised a leather case. "I'm not even sure about this new-fangled take-down Winchester rifle."
Coastal towns such as Gearhart, Oregon owed its existence and well-being to adventurers like Lewis and
Family finds leisure at Gearhart |
State sponsored tourism followed this new wealth. Portland celebrated the 1905 centennial of Lewis and Clark arriving at the Pacific, the end of their cross-country journey.
All this cash made a broader sponsorship of people willing to invest in the interesting idea of leisure time. The Oregon coast provided many places of leisure for sale.
Just about all resorts at the turn of the century were destination resorts, so a hotel was an important necessity. The first hotel in Gearhart was built in 1890 and stood just off the town's main streets.
A second hotel, far grander, rose about a mile away and closer to the ocean in 1910. By 1915, both had burned to the ground. In 1923, a new hotel emerged. It was demolished in 1973 to make way for a concrete hulk for tourists Gearhart residents called Attica.
The Daddy Train, Gearhart, OR |
A boardwalk near the station led to the hotels, the beach, the boarding houses, the campgrounds or to the homes along Ocean Avenue, known as Gin Ridge. In the 1920s, there were about 120 permanent residents, swelling to 1000 or so during the summer.
Vacationers and residents then and now take on the challenge of clamming for the delicious razor clam. Clickhttp://www.blybooks.com/2011/12/bear-steak-clam-chowder/
Razor Clam Chowder |
The Gearhart Golf Course is a true links course that rolls and dips among mounds of grass-covered dunes. A breezy adventure, the ocean remains out of sight, although it can be heard and felt. Throughout the course, narrow ridges and other topographical features carom balls every which way.
Gearhart and nearby towns are perfect for beach walks and gallery browsing. A scenic stretch of coast tucked between crashing surf and Pacific forests, that portrays a number of Lewis and Clark historic sites.
This community is located in Clatsop County, south of Astoria, between Warrenton and Seaside along Highway 101. Gearhart is also positioned near the Lewis & Clark River while overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
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Janet Chester Bly |
Click here for the story of the Bly family writing project: http://www.blybooks.com/2012/03/coping-with-loss/
For more info about Janet and her books, click: http://www.blybooks.com/
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Stuart Brannon's Final Shot
Stephen Bly with Janet Chester Bly, Russell Bly, Michael Bly, and Aaron Bly
In 1905, two orphans flee from Oregon's Tillamook Head. One is branded a hero. Will they tell the truth and
Stuart Brannon's Final Shot |
Meanwhile, legendary lawman Stuart Brannon searches for a missing U.S. Marshal at the request of President Teddy Roosevelt. That means leaving his beloved Arizona Territory to attend the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland. He also grapples with the game of golf on behalf of a Gearhart, Oregon celebrity tournament sponsored by his friend, Lady Harriet Reed-Fletcher.
Find Stuart Brannon's Final Shot here: http://www.blybooks.com/product_category/historical-western-novels/
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Thank you for your most interesting post.
ReplyDeletemauback55 at gmail dot com
Melanie: Thanks for the note. Blessings, Janet
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