by Deborah Lobey | Oct 19, 2025 | Oral History - Stories, Posts
During an era when tug boats on the Siuslaw River operated at all hours of the night, the bridge tender (Tiny Marsh) would initiate a siren prior to lifting the draw bridge for boats to pass. The night of March 27, 1964 began like any other, but that would soon...
by Deborah Lobey | Aug 7, 2025 | Oral History - Stories, Posts
The Family Behind the Phone Company “We’ve come a long way” may be an old saying, yet it sums up the evolution of long-distance communication from the days of telegraph messages to telephone. As more folks began to settle in the Siuslaw area, it became essential to...
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 | Oct 25, 2023 | Oral History - Stories, Posts
There was so much work back then that you could quit one job in the morning and have another lined up the same day and go to work. One can’t speak of the history of Florence without including the logging industry’s significant role in the heritage of the Siuslaw...
by Deborah Lobey | Jun 23, 2023 | Oral History - Stories, Posts
School Teacher and Community Leader A long-time resident of Florence for over 57 years, Roger McCorkle is someone who has devoted much of his life to community service and the history of Florence. Born in Vancouver, WA, his parents (Dean and Alice) moved to Oregon in...
