Seaside Event Brings Sea Rescue History of Oregon / Washington Coast To Life

Published 01/21/26 at 4:55 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Seaside, Oregon) – The long, storied history of life-saving services on two coastlines comes to life this month, as an esteemed and beloved north Oregon coast history series starts the new year.

The Seaside Museum and Historical Society will open its 2026 History and Hops series with a presentation on the early U.S. Life-Saving Service and its work along the Pacific Northwest coast. The event takes place Thursday, January 29, at 6 p.m. at Seaside Brewing Co.

Katy Menne, Education Director at the Columbia River Maritime Museum, will serve as the evening's speaker. She will outline the origins of the Life-Saving Service along the Oregon coast, which was the predecessor to the modern U.S. Coast Guard. She looks into its role in assisting mariners in distress near the nation's shorelines – not just this region. The work was demanding and often dangerous, carried out by crews known for discipline, skill, and a strong sense of duty.

Menne will also discuss former station locations in Oregon and Washington and share accounts from those who served in what became known as the Graveyard of the Pacific.

Setting up for the breeches Buoy Drill. CRMM Collection

Menne has been with the Columbia River Maritime Museum since 2022. Before relocating to Oregon, she worked in museums in South Carolina and North Carolina. She holds a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in teaching from the University of South Carolina. In 2020 she was recognized as the Emerging Museum Professional for the Southeastern Museums Conference. MORE SEASIDE

Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to secure seating and enjoy the menu at Seaside Brewing Co.

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The Seaside Museum and Historical Society, founded in 1974, is a nonprofit educational institution dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history of Seaside and the surrounding region. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, contact Emily Halverson at 503 738 7065 or email seasidemuseum@gmail.com.

Station Cape Disappointment. CRMM Collection

History and Hops is presented by the Seaside Museum with support from the Seaside Public Library. The series runs on the last Thursday of each month from September through May at Seaside Brewing Co. Admission is free and open to the public.

More information is available at www.seasideoregonmuseum.com.

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