| The downstairs exhibit gallery examines
the history of North Lincoln County through township development in the mid 1920s.
Beginning with information about the prehistory of the central Oregon coast including
fossils and other early artifacts, this gallery includes Native American history
with examples of baskets and beadwork; early settlement and homesteading displays
that show early tools and household items; and dairy, fishing, and cannery displays
with artifacts from those industries. Large photos of people and places included
throughout the exhibit bring to life the fascinating history of north Lincoln
County told with excerpts taken from oral history interviews. 
Japanese
glass fishing floats, donated from the spectacular collection of Jim Watson, are
a special feature of this gallery. This display includes many unusual examples
produced in Japan for the fishing industry that have made their way to the Oregon
Coast at the whim of wave and wind. 
The
upstairs gallery focuses on tourism, celebrating the age of the automobile with
information on the first cars and roads to the area. The gallery’s timeline
begins with the completion of the Salmon River and Coast Highways in the late
1920s and extends through 1965 when many of the small towns incorporated as Lincoln
City. The history of each town along what was known as the Twenty Miracle Miles
is included in a panel display, along with roadside attractions, early tourism
promotions like the notorious "Redhead Roundup", and one-of-a-kind businesses
like the Pixie Kitchen and Pixieland. The Mildred and Maries Children’s Corner
is all “hands-on”, with puppets, books and games to keep younger children
entertained while their parents tour the museum. Each gallery includes a
changing display area; so that each time you visit there is something new to see.
These displays are described in the Temporary Exhibit link. | |
