At the edge of the world, and at the edge of Tillamook County, the Nehalem Valley History Museum stands as a testament to the rich and diverse history of the region. Tom Campbell, the museum’s director, agreed to share some of the museum’s most fascinating stories as part of our ongoing get-to-know-your-nonprofit podcast series.
For visitors to the museum, the journey begins at the front with the indigenous tribes of the region along with a map.
“The Nehalem is a really long and ponderous river,” Tom explains. “We’re just trying to acquaint you with the idea that there’s a geographic limit to Nehalem so people understand the types of objects we take in.”
The museum focuses on the Nehalem Bay area which is home to the Nehalem people (who have since joined with the Clatsop tribes to form a single contemporary organization representing the indigenous people of the area) settlers, travelers, fur-trappers, and entrepreneurs from around the world.
The museum showcases the advanced craftsmanship of the local tribes, including their unique longhouses.
“They had a gabled roof as opposed to a shed,” Campbell notes, highlighting the advanced carpentry skills of the indigenous people. “They might strike camp and take the longhouse apart to rebuild somewhere else so they didn’t have to suffer the winter winds.”
Campbell and the museum are filled with interesting tidbits. For instance the Nehalem people’s longhouses were dug down for insulation and stability, but the doors were a foot or more off the ground surface as a security measure.
The arrival of white settlers marked a significant shift in the region’s history. The United States, eager to populate the area with white settlers, sent Indian agents to negotiate treaties. However, as Campbell points out, these treaties were far from fair.
“I’ll never say negotiated because it really wasn’t a negotiation,” he says.
One such treaty, which was never ratified, promised the indigenous people items such as 40 shirts and 30 pairs of shoes in exchange for their land.
The museum also pays homage to the heritage of the early settlers who shaped the region and includes artifacts from the region’s logging, fishing, and dairy farming industries, as well as personal stories of the families who have lived in the area for generations. One such artifact is a headstone belonging to the Zimmerman family, one of the original homesteaders in the area. The headstone was found in Gresham and returned to the museum, where it now resides.
As Campbell guides us through the museum, he emphasizes the importance of preserving and sharing these stories.
“It’s the perpetuation. It’s the survival of the culture,” he says.
The Nehalem Valley History Museum continues to serve as a beacon of history, shedding light on the rich tapestry of stories that make up the region’s past.
But of all the stories perhaps one of the most well known yarns is that of the Neahkahnie Treasure.
The story of the shipwrecks off the coast of Manzanita is a fascinating one. The area is known for its numerous shipwrecks, many of which occurred at the mouth of the Columbia River. However, the circumstances surrounding some of these shipwrecks are particularly intriguing.
One of the most fascinating local stories of the Nehalem Valley’s history is the legend of the Neahkahnie treasure. This legend is tied to a series of rocks known as the “treasure rocks” found near Neahkahnie Mountain. These rocks, marked with mysterious inscriptions, have long been believed to be directional markers leading to a hidden treasure.
The story goes that there is a buried treasure up near Neahkahnie Mountain, and these rocks are the key to finding it. One of these rocks is in the possession of the Nehalem Valley Historical Society, while another known as the “measuring rock” is on loan from the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum. (Spoilers, it was probably a surveyor’s mark, still cool, but unlikely to lead to gold).
The legend of the Neahkahnie treasure has drawn visitors from all over, with many intrigued by the possibility of a hidden treasure in the area. The story is often a hit with younger visitors, who are captivated by the tale of treasure hunting and adventure.
Another shipwreck that captures the heart’s of many is the Beeswax shipwreck. The ship was part of a Spanish trade route that brought highly valued silver from Acapulco to Manila in exchange for beeswax among other things. The beeswax was important because the Spanish missions were burning candles, and beeswax candles were cleaner than paraffin candles. The beeswax would be fashioned into candles, and they wouldn’t have to clean the missions quite so vigorously. The beeswax shipwreck is still a mystery as it was off course and shouldn’t have been this far north. There is speculation that the ship set sail hastily, possibly due to smuggling activities, and didn’t have their full complement of crew or food, leading to their demise.
For the unfamiliar reader large chunks of beeswax that were carried as cargo are almost all that remain. The intrigue surrounding the beeswax shipwreck took a turn when a local history enthusiast Craig Andes, one of the pre-eminent beachcombers and collectors of beeswax galleon articles, found a single piece of wood that he recognized as not indigenous. Craig recovered that piece and then told Scott Williams of the Maritime Archeological Society (MAS) about it and reported that there were additional pieces in the cave where it was found. MAS then sought money to recover the rest of it. First MAS the History Channel was going to shed light on the story but when National Geographic got wind of the find, they spearheaded the recovery effort. The professional recovery team also included the local police and the Nehalem Bay Search and Rescue team.
“Craig and Scott, as well as other members of MAS, were on hand. The coordinated team was successful and the following day National Geographic announced that they had found the lost galleon. Subsequent analysis has shown the wood to be a Philippine hardwood harvested in a window period that could have been a part of the galleon,” added Campbell in a correction email.”
The legend of the Neahkahnie treasure, the story of the beeswax shipwreck, and countless others all contribute to the rich tapestry of history in the Nehalem Valley. These stories, preserved and shared by the Nehalem Valley Historical Society, offer a glimpse into the area’s colorful past and continue to captivate the imaginations of visitors.
I could have spoken with Campbell for hours, he’s kind and gregarious with his knowledge. As a courtesy and incentive to our readers, I’ll leave the rest of the stories in the museum. It’s like a buried treasure in its own way, just head to the basement of the Pine Grove and dig out the ancient family photos of your neighbors (or maybe your own family!) and heck, consider joining as a member too!
You can watch or listen to the interview here, there is a short tour of the museum at the end.