Excerpt from Western World's Dec. 16, 1915, edition: HOW TO GET TO BANDON

Bandon, Ore., is still not the easiest place on the planet to get to, but it used to be much more difficult.

"There are three ways of getting to Bandon:

"Take the steamer Elizabeth from San Francisco; fare $10.

" Take either the Alliance or the Breakwater from Portland to Marshfield (now Coos Bay), then take a train to Coquille at 9 o'clock connecting with the Coquille River boat, landing you at noon the same day in Bandon; combined fare, not counting lodgings, is approximately $12.

"Over stage from Roseburg, Oregon, to Myrtle Point, from which place you take the river boat to Bandon as before; fare being $5 for stage and $1 boat.

"We recommend boat clear through, in the winter time at least. It is quicker and pleasanter for those not afflicted with seasickness."

 

 

The Annual Cranberry Festival

...is one of southwestern Oregon's best-known events. It pays tribute to the community's No. 1 agricultural crop.

The festival is held the second weekend in September. The theme is used on items throughout the festival. The festival kicks off Friday, with the blessing of the cranberry harvest at a local cranberry bog at 9:30 AM, followed by the traditional crowning of the queen at 7 p.m. in the Bandon Sprague Theater. The VFW Auxiliary holds the annual Food Fair. This is where locals submit their favorite cranberry dishes for judging. The winner of the contest is crowned Queen or King of the Kitchen at the coronation of the Cranberry Queen at 7 p.m. in the Bandon Sprague Theater. The Auxiliary also hold a bake sale and bazaar on Friday and Saturday.

The always-popular Festival Parade begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, and goes through the heart of Old Town after winding its way down Highway 101. People interested in taking part in the parade may phone (541) 347-9616, or write to P.O. Box 348, Bandon 97411.

The Cranberry Fun Festival, with food, games and craft booths, will be held in Old Town Saturday and Sunday, with live musical entertainment being offered both days. The Lions’ barbecue is served Saturday in City Park between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The Cranberry Bowl football game will be held on Saturday at the football stadium at 5:00 PM. There are a number of other activities planned for the big three-day weekend. A complete brochure of Cranberry Festival events will be available at the visitor information center in Old Town, and can be obtained by phoning (541) 347-9616.

 

 

provided by the Bandon Historical Museum...

pre-1850 Area inhabited by the Coquille (Ko-quell Indian Tribe)
1851 Gold discovered at nearby Whiskey Run Beach by French Trappers.
1852 Henry Baldwin, from Cork County, Ireland, was shipwrecked on the Coos Bay Bar and walked into this area.
1853 First settlers established present town site.
1856 Native resistance to white settlement is defeated and Indians go to Siletz Reservation.
1859 "Twin Sisters" sailed into Coquille River and thus opened for all inland produce and resources.
1873 George Bennett with sons Joseph and George A., and Mr. Sealy, come from Bandon, Ireland.
1874 Town's first name of Averill is changed to Bandon.
1876 Joseph Williams and 3 sons arrived from Bandon, Ireland the election has 15 voters.
1877 Post Office is established.
1880 Cheese-making began and Congress appropriated money for the jetty.
1883 First sawmill, schoolhouse, and Catholic Church.
1884 Army Corps of Engineers begin jetty construction.
1886 School District #54 established.
1888 First ocean-going schooner to be built in Bandon is completed.
1890 Census shows a population of 219.
1891 City of Bandon is incorporated February 18, 1891.
1893 Woolen Mill established.
1896 Bandon Lighthouse built.
1897-98 Jetty constructed on Coquille River.
1900 Census shows a population of 645.
1910 Population reaches 1,803 as town becomes a primary tourist attraction on the Oregon coast.
1912 Bandon has developed as a principle port between San Francisco and Portland...300 vessels visit during the year.
1914 Fire destroys the waterfront business district.
1921 Bandon Electric Company was established.
Early 1930's First cranberry cooperative formed by local growers.
1936 The Great Fire of 1936.
1936-46 Town begins to rebuild, areas west of the highway and the downtown area were rebuilt.
1947 First Bandon Cranberry Festival.
1950's City's steady growth continues.
1962 Bandon airport dedicated.
1970's Business District moves to south of town along the highway.
1970 Wastewater Treatment Plant was built.
1970 Current Bandon City Hall was dedicated.
1974 Bandon High School burns
1980's Old Town area is re-developed, new boat basin and shopping in East Bandon constructed
1980 Current Water Plant was established.
1981 The current Bandon City Charter was adopted.
1989 Population is now 2535.
Early 1990's Forest products industry still continues. Cranberries, fishing, cheese-making and tourism are major industries.
1991 City Centennial Celebration
1993 Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade dedication.
1996 Centennial celebration of the Lighthouse held.
2000 Population is now 2,833.
2004 Water Treatment Plant upgraded
2006 Open Streets within the City were all paved
2007 Hwy 101 south of 13th St was widened to include a left center turn lane
2008 New Clarifier at at the Water Treatment Plant built

 

 

Facts About Bandon

Bandon's population is 3,300 (estimated by Portland State University) in the city limits and about 5,700 in what is referred to as the greater Bandon area. 

Schools: Bandon School District provides public education and school bus service, plus special education. Superintendent is Diane Buche. Grades kindergarten through fourth at Ocean Crest Elementary; 5-8 at Harbor Lights Middle School; 9-12 at Bandon High. Pacific Christian School offers pre-school to eighth. Head Start offers pre-school for low-income families. A few licensed home day-care facilities are also available.

Medical: Southern Coos Hospital and Health Center (SCHHC) is located at 900 11th Street SE, is licensed as a full service, general acute care hospital in the State of Oregon . Administrator is Jim Wathen. Supported by taxes and patient fees. Ambulance service is available. Six doctors with offices in town. Heritage Place, an assisted-living facility, is located on the South Jetty.

Police: 24-hour coverage by city of Bandon Police Department and Coos County Sheriff's office. The Bandon police chief is Bob Webb, who manages a force of six officers and several reserve officers. The police department business phone number is 347-2241.  In emergency situations, call 911. After 5 p.m. non-emergency call 756-8212.

Fire Department: The City contracts with the Bandon Rural Fire District. The District has volunteer staff with apparatus stored in rural stations. In emergency, call 911. Bandon's fire chief is Lanny Boston. No burning is allowed either for backyard burning or in trash barrels within the City limits.

Utilities: Water, sewer and electric provided by City of Bandon. Coos Curry Cooperative and Pacific Power and Light provide power to areas not served by the city. Rural areas are on well and septic systems.

City Services: The city administration, planning, public works, electric and the police department are located in the same building on Highway 101. The Library is located in the City Park on 11th St SW. Matt Winkel is the city's manager; Mary Schamehorn is the mayor. The city council meets on the first Monday of the month at 7 p.m. in city hall. Permit and other municipal questions can be directed to city staff. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Transportation: Public transit van available weekdays. Call 347-4131 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.; Bandon Airport, located south of town.

Newspapers: Western World, weekly; also publishes daily free Coffee Break. Address is 1185 Baltimore Ave., 347-2423. The World Newspaper of Coos Bay, The Register-Guard of Eugene and The Oregonian of Portland are available on racks and home delivery. The San Francisco Chronicle and the Medford Mail Tribune are available at Ray's Food Place. Out-of-state and local papers available for review at the library.

Television: Full range of channels available with Charter Cable service and Comspan Bandon. Antennas can receive Channels 11 and 5.

Radio: KBDN (96.5 FM), with a "classic rock-'n'-roll" format, is licensed to serve Bandon. Coos Bay, Coquille, and Myrtle Point stations are also received.

Museum: Located on Highway 101 and Fillmore. Operated by Bandon Historical Society. 

Arts: Bandon Playhouse, Bandon Youth Theater and other community groups use the Sprague Theater in the city's 11th St Park. Galleries feature works of area artists and those nationally known. The Oregon Coast Music Association offers local concerts throughout the year.

Economy: Oregon Overseas Timber processes timber products; Moore Mill harvests logs; Ocean Spray cooperative members produce some $10 million worth of cranberries in area bogs; Bandon Dunes Golf Resort brings many tourists making healthy, sometimes booming tourism industry even more viable, with related businesses such as motels, restaurants, visitor attractions, etc.

Boat basin: Facilities built and managed by Port of Bandon. Office and shop located in the Old Coast Guard Building at the west end of First Street.

Visitor Information Center: Be sure to stop by the center, it is located by the Old Town arch on Second Street. This is operated by the Bandon Chamber of Commerce and is the only center on the coast that is open all year, seven days a week. You can obtain information on motels, attractions, restaurants, bog tours, events, convention facilities, etc. The phone number is 541-347-9616.

 

 

Bandon Museum

Bandon's Coquille River Museum is located at 270 Fillmore Ave (on the corner of Fillmore Ave and Hwy 101)

The Museum is run by the Bandon Historical Society (The following was written by the Historical Museum Staff) P.O. Box 737 Bandon, Oregon 97411. Telephone & Fax - - (541) 347-2164.... Website http://bandonhistoricalmuseum.org/

Bandon's Museum is located in the "Old" City Hall Building. The second building constructed after the disastrous 1936 fire, it was to be the temporary quarters, but remained in use until the "New" City Hall was built in 1970 just south of here, along Hwy 101.

Winter Hours: Monday through Saturday 10am-4pm. Summer Hours: Monday through Saturday 10am-4pm and Sundays 1-4pm.

Admission: $2 for Adults; Children under 12 and Members of Bandon's Historical Society are free.

 

We are proud of our more than 50 dedicated volunteers who attend the visitor's desk during the course of the year, the museum could not run withut them.

Thank you Friends!

Bandon's Museum has one paid staff person, Judy Knox who works Monday through Fridays 9am-4pm. Board of Directors, their spouses and many other dedicated volunteers give countless hours of their lives to continue to show and teach Bandon's wonderful history to future generations. They all do this with pride and love for Bandon, our past and our future.

Funding for the Museum is by daily admissions, annual memberships, memorials, fund raisers, donations, and sales from our newly remodeled and enlarged gift shop. Our membership continues to grow and we welcome anyone wishing to become members to do so by contacting us at 541-347-2164. Our memberships are: Individual $15; Family $25; Business $35; Life $250; Benefactor $500; Patron $1000

In 2000 we began a Sustainability Fund to insure the Museum's future, our goal is to have 2 million dollars in this fund and to use the interest for the museums operating expenses. Contributions to this fund are tax deductible. Our visitor count has risen every year with well over 6500 visitors, world wide, U.S. and local faithfuls. Bandon's museum is handicap accessible. The Museum has over 4,000 sq. ft. of display and artifact exhibit display area and well over 1000 historic photos displayed with captions of the Bandon area. Our entire building is over 5400 sq. ft. which also includes: a research room, office, work and storage areas and restrooms.

Our collections include: Native American artifacts, a very extensive photographic collection of early Bandon. Other displays you will see are: coal and gold mining, logging & timer industry, fishing, cranberries, dairy farms & cheese making. Other exhibits are a natural history section, military memorabilia and photographs, a large maritime room with photos of shipwrecks, tugs, river boats, sailing vessels and shipbuilding of the area. In our Pioneer rooms we cover Bandon's two fires, 1914 and 1936, and the people who stayed to re-build Bandon to what it is today. We have a special area where we honor a pioneer family from this area every year. You can visit early Bandon businesses, and pioneer families, early day schools, enjoy the period clothing they work from the 1900's through the 1950's.

This is just a small sample of what Bandon's Museum has to offer each and everyone who beckons in our doors. History is like a child's mind, a terrible thing to waste.

Our newly enlarged gift shop reflects our museum in many ways, in what we sell, historic books of the area, cards, photos, videos, drawings, paintings, glass ware, and many other items. The gift shop helps us fund our museum. Tours are available, large or small groups, with or without a guide, you can enjoy a leisurely walk through Bandon's past, just call for more information (phone or Fax) 541-347-2164. We are within walking distance of Bandon's Old Town, gift shops, our harbor area, cheese factory, motels and restaurants.

The beginning of The Coquille River Museum and Bandon Historical Society:

The Bandon Historical Society was incorporated in 1976, and the museum opened their door in 1977, in the Masonic Hall Building on 2nd Street and we were known as the Bandon Historical Society Museum. We are now and have always been a 501 C 3 non-profit organization.

In 1983 we moved into the Old Coast Guard Station on 1st Street, we were there twelve years. In November 1983, the museum was named "The Coquille River Museum". The Coquille River was a vital part of our early history since the first settlers grew along its banks and tributaries.

In February 1996 we began moving into our present location. In May 1996 we opened our doors.

Bandon's Urban Renewal Agency purchased Bandon's Old City Hall, with Urban Renewal Funds for our museum's new home. The City of Bandon Urban Renewal Agency donated the building to the Historical Society after minimal payment made towards the purchase.

Bandon may be a small town, but, we do have a lot of wonderful, and interesting history.

Visit us when you are in Bandon and enjoy our past and our future.