Remnants of the "new" Jump-Off Joe structure, located about a quarter mile north of the Nye Beach Turnaround - and less than a mile from Agate Beach.

The premonitory in Nye Beach now nicknamed Jump-Off Joe has a tale with several parts to it: one for each rock structure that bore the name.

About 1890, construction of the jetties at Yaquina Bay caused the tides to change, and a sandstone landmass jutting 150 feet into the surf eroded away. Within a decade, a large chunk of rock with an arch and something that looked like a dinosaur tail was left. This was named Jump-Off Joe, from a mix of legends from settlers and local tribes.

As Nye Beach grew into a major destination, Joe caught the imaginations of visitors and locals alike. A.L. Thomas, a doctor and businessman, turned artful photos of it into a lucrative postcard business around 1900.

Erosion of Jump-Off Joe continued, and around 1916 the arch crumbled. By the 40's, almost all traces of it were gone.

For more on the Jump-Off Joe story, keep clicking....

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