Online Community Art Show
Welcome to our Historic Structures Art Show, meant to foster more appreciation for historic buildings so that they will be around for future generations to enjoy. Entries were received by members of the community and were selected from the museum’s collection. Hover your curser over each art piece to see information and click (below the title of the art piece) to enlarge. You will find brief historical information on each structure below the gallery. Thank you to the participants for the wonderful entries and we hope that you enjoy the show.
Bijou Theatre in Oceanlake started as Lakeside Theatre in 1937. Back then, movies were 35 cents for adults and 10 cents for kids. In the 1980s it was renamed The Bijou (French for “Jewel”) and continues to thrive to this day.
Covered Bridges in North Lincoln County. Rose Lodge and Drift Creek Covered Bridges were built in the 1910s. The Schooner Creek Covered Bridge was completed in 1924. We couldn’t find much historical information on the Otis Covered Bridge. These covered bridges kept the wood road planks from the elements and also provided a place for children to play. The Drift Creek Covered Bridge is the only remaining covered bridge in North Lincoln County, having been restored and relocated to Bear Creek Road east of Lincoln City.
Delake Elementary School was built in 1927. The building operated as an elementary school for decades until it closed in 2000 due to budget cuts, dispersing its students to either Oceanlake or Taft Elementary Schools. This historic building is now occupied by and thrives as the Lincoln City Cultural Center!
Depoe Bay Bridge was constructed in 1927 as a single 150 foot reinforced-concrete deck arch. In 1940 an identical bridge was built alongside the original to allow for 4 lanes of traffic instead of two. The Depoe Bay Bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
Depoe Bay Business Strip was built shortly after Charlie Depoe’s (Native American land owner and town’s namesake) heirs sold parcels to the Sunset Investment Corporation out of Portland in 1925. Depoe Bay became an unincorporated city in 1928, and officially incorporated in 1973. Depoe Bay remains a bustling tourist attraction to this day.
Dorchester House started being constructed in Wecoma in 1929, halted for several years due to the Depression, then had its grand opening in 1935. This hotel had a fancy entry with a large fireplace, ocean views, fine dining, and a colonial design. It is still thriving to this day as a retirement home.
Kangas Brothers’ Dairy Barn at Drift Creek was built in 1931. It housed 40 cows and they sold milk in 5-gallon containers to those working on Highway 101 and later to Portland. The dairy closed down in 1955, but the barn remains standing as a landmark on the south end of Lincoln City.
Kernville Tavern was one of North Lincoln County’s oldest buildings. It was built in 1926 and started as a store, and shortly after, it housed the post office for Kernville as well. Later it became the Kernville Tavern for decades, until in was destroyed by a fire in 1977.
Nelscott Cash Store was built in 1927 by Frank Hallock. It included a general store, offices for the Nelscott Land Company, a bus depot, a restaurant, a beauty parlor, and the post office. It is still the anchor of the Nelscott strip and houses several businesses today.
Otis Cafe has been a North Lincoln icon and favorite with locals and tourists alike since the 1920s. Tragically, a fire destroyed the building in the summer of 2019. The owners have been rebuilding, selling baked goods at a local farmers’ market, and have plans to open another location in Taft.
Pixie Kitchen in Wecoma was built as Pixie Pot Pies in 1948. In 1953, the Parks family purchased the business, remodeled, and renamed it The Pixie Kitchen. This restaurant was a family favorite for many decades until it closed down in the mid 80s. Today a Motel 6 stands in its place.
Snug Harbor in Taft has been a local favorite since the 1930s. It has truly stood the test of time, and is said to be the oldest continuous bar on the Oregon Coast. “Get ya hug at the snug!”
