The Wilds of Fort Stevens and Seaside History at Two N. Oregon Coast Events

Published 01/11/25 at 4:55 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Seaside, Oregon) – History, water, beer and birds. It almost sounds like something Dwight Schrute would've said, but it is in actuality the major elements of two exceptionally fun events on the north Oregon coast in January. At one, you get to go birding at Fort Stevens and be surrounded by the past as well as rugged nature, while another event dives deep into Seaside's water department and how it made “ripples” in early life here.

On Saturday, January 18, you can get an eyeful of birds and all sorts of other action with the Winter Bird Hike at Fort Stevens State Park. Meet at the Battery Russell parking lot on that Saturday at 9:30 a.m.

Join a Park Ranger on a guided walk through the wilder parts of this north Oregon coast treasure to look for and identify birds. No birding experience is required, and experts are welcome to come share their knowledge. Binoculars are recommended but there are a few binoculars to use.

For more information contact Dane Osis 971-338-8030 or dane.osis@oprd.oregon.gov

The first north Oregon coast history lesson of the year happens on January 30 in Seaside, with its monthly installment of History & Hops.

To ring in the New Year, Seaside Museum's very own Emily Halverson will present a brief history of Seaside’s Water Department.

The discussions are hosted by the Seaside Museum on the last Thursday of each month. They run from September through May at Seaside Brewing Co. The event is free to attend.

The first water system in Seaside was established in 1904, about 40 years after Portland’s initial system. During the 1800s, Seaside was a primitive town, says Halverson, with many residents lacking indoor plumbing until the 1920s. Emily will share history compiled by Benny T. Davis, excerpts from the Seaside Signal, and other fun trivia, including a brief mention of the Seaside Fire of 1912.

Emily Halverson has been the Administrative Assistant at the Seaside Museum since June 2022. She became interested in the Water Department topic after noting that the museum's restroom was too big and empty, suggesting it should host an exhibit. While the museum is still working on creating a bathroom exhibit, Emily looks forward to sharing intriguing facts about Seaside’s early plumbing - or lack thereof.

History & Hops is supported by the Seaside Museum, the Seaside Public Library, and Seaside Brewing Co.

Preserving Seaside’s history since 1974, the Seaside Museum & Historical Society is a non-profit educational institution dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting materials that illustrate the history of Seaside and the surrounding area. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 AM to 4 PM.

For more information, contact Halverson during museum hours at 503-738-7065.

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Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

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