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WHALES IN THE SIUSLAW RIVER
It’s no surprise the sight of whales swimming in the Siuslaw river in recent years brings great excitement to those lucky enough to witness it. What may be a surprise however, is to learn that stories of their occasional presence go back many...
MANAGING A FOREST
MARC WANGERIN It’s often said it takes a certain kind of person to do the type of work a job requires. That can be said of Marc Wangerin. Born in 1956, he grew up in Elmira on a mink farm where his father was a furrier. Marc pursued a career in...
REMEMBERING HAILSTORM OF 1949
Damages Remain Memorable In June of 1949, a hailstorm moved along a diagonal path from Sweet Creek, across the river, through Tiernan, and then up the North Fork of the Siuslaw. The hailstones were nearly the size of chicken eggs, measuring about 2...
HISTORY OF THE CUSHMAN RAILROAD
Our newest rotating exhibit honors the history of the Cushman Railroad. The exhibit features images, captions and display items to celebrate the builders of the Cushman Bridge and train crew members. The 134-mile railroad enabled transportation for...
Museum Re-Opens February 1
18-Year Anniversary Following its annual winter closure, the Siuslaw Pioneer Museum doors re-open on February 1st! The re-opening coincides with the Museum's 18th anniversary of when the doors first opened at our Maple Street location. In 1974 the...
Early Travel by Stage
During the 1850’s stage service began operating in western Oregon, with weekly service to Eugene. As pioneer settlers and industries grew in the Siuslaw Valley, so did the need and desire for transportation. In time, the stage line from Eugene to...
DETAILS FOR A GREAT-GRANDSON
Once treasured family remembrances and pictures are often donated and accepted to become part of the Pioneer Museum’s collection. The museum makes every effort to continue honoring and celebrating each item’s historical significance to the area....
THE WRECK OF A SCHOONER, THE BELLA
“I was working at the A.W. Hurd store at the time and remember the date as November, 1906.Other reports give 1905 as the time of the wreck”. Warner C. Waite, 1883 - 1975November marks the anniversary (about 118 years) of when a schooner, the Bella...
DARREL BUNCH
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...
THE EARLY RAILROAD
". . . passenger traffic made the route a paying one from the first day that a passenger coach was attached to the work train, and it is now necessary to carry two passenger coaches and a baggage car to accommodate the people wanting to travel that...