by Deborah Lobey | Apr 30, 2025 | Exhibit, Posts, Rhododendron Festival
The process of selecting the Rhododendron Royal Court has varied throughout the years, yet continues to remain a significant highlight of the festivities even today. Early on, contestants acquired votes by selling baskets of home cooked goods (1909), bake sales, and...
by Deborah Lobey | Mar 29, 2025 | Oral History - Stories, Posts
(Part 2 of 2), (View Part 1) From early on, John Barnes developed a connection with the forest, cultural heritage and history. One could say it was in his DNA – passed down from a grandfather who homesteaded, and a father who was a brush picker and well-known hunter...
by Deborah Lobey | Mar 2, 2025 | Oral History - Stories, Posts
(Part 1 of 2) (View Part 2) Though Brush Picking may be an unfamiliar occupation to some, it has maintained a history throughout the Pacific Northwest. Folks may not get rich by it, yet it continues to be a source of income from the forest. Chances are, pickers today...
by Deborah Lobey | Dec 29, 2024 | Fundraising, Posts
DONATE GoFundMe MUSEUM LAUNCHES WALL RECONSTRUCTION CAMPAIGN PRESERVING OUR PAST The Siuslaw Pioneer Museum is launching a campaign to save its west wall. Time has taken its toll on our beloved Museum and we are now facing a critical challenge: the west wall has...
by Deborah Lobey | Nov 12, 2024 | Posts
What they hoped to find lay at the bottom of Tahkenitch Lake for 37 years. Local folks may recall that June day in 1987, when a Southern Pacific (“SP”) Railroad train derailed on its daily route between Coos Bay and Eugene. As the 102-car train crossed a trestle on...
by Deborah Lobey | Sep 14, 2024 | Posts
Perhaps resilience can best describe how pioneers met with their everyday challenges and experiences. Such was the case for mail carriers in the Siuslaw Valley during the early1900’s. They were fearless individuals who traversed rough trails often during severe...
