Old Neskowin in Pictures is Subject of Oregon Coast Event

Published 12/05/25 at 4:55 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Lincoln City, Oregon) – Once upon a time, people on beach vacations had no means of taking selfies. Any photographic equipment had to be lugged around, and the film itself was large, bulky and a messy endeavor to develop. Those goofing around the Oregon coast – depending on the decade – had to stand still for rather long periods of time.

For those few who were able to venture to tiny Neskowin in its early years (some 100 years ago), evidence on film of this kind of fun was scarce.

That's what makes one talk this month rather intriguing. In the central Oregon coast burgh of Lincoln City, the North Lincoln County Historical Museum will welcome Jim Affolter on Saturday, December 13, at 1 p.m. for a special presentation. Affolter will highlight the collaborative effort behind “Neskowin: A Book of Found Photos,” a visual history built from decades of community-contributed images.

His talk will explore how the project began, the insights it uncovered about the region’s past, and the importance of preserving everyday photographs to deepen our understanding of local history. A question-and-answer session will follow, and copies of the book will be available for purchase directly from the Neskowin Historical Foundation.

The foundation, a community-based nonprofit, has worked for more than 150 years to preserve Neskowin’s history. Its mission is to make this heritage accessible through both print and digital platforms.

“We plan to publish a keepsake coffee table book featuring a curated selection of historic photos and related materials,” the group said. “Additionally, we will develop a searchable online database that will allow the public access to the complete archive.”

The event is free and open to the public. For details, contact the museum at 541-996-6614.

Neskowin’s early history stretches back to its original name, Slab Creek, with the first homestead established around 1876 after the U.S. government uprooted Native residents to the mouth of the Salmon River. Fishing was the village’s primary industry for many years, followed by lumber. The community remained small, with only a handful of homes. The Neskowin Hotel, built around 1895, was nearly lost to flooding before being moved inland by blasting into the hillside. Proposal Rock Inn now occupies the site, with additional hotels appearing in the late 1940s.

Proposal Rock itself was named after Charles Gage proposed to Della Page there around the turn of the century. Della’s mother, Sarah Page, gave the landmark its enduring name.

Electricity reached Neskowin in 1929, followed by the construction of its first golf course in 1930. The road that later became Highway 101 was completed in 1910, further connecting the village to the Oregon coast.

Learn more about the project, or purchase books here: https://neskowinhistoricalfoundation.org/

North Lincoln County Historical Museum
4907 SW Highway 101, Lincoln City, OR

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