First Neskowin was a fishing settlement. Then a farming and camping area. And now, a vibrant community on the rural Oregon Coast. This evolution of Neskowin is captured through historic photos in the Neskowin Historical Foundation’s first ever book: “Neskowin: A Book of Found Photos 1880-1980.”
Hosted at the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum, the Neskowin Historical Foundation will give a presentation about the new book on June 5 at 5 pm. Jim Affolter, member of the Neskowin Historical Foundation and co-creator of the book, will be the main presenter. Tickets to the book presentation are free, but due to limited seating, registration is required at: tcpm.org
Both Jim and his wife Marilyn were born in Oregon and have always called Oregon their home. Jim is a retired schoolteacher and has a passion for Oregon history. Jim and Marilyn moved to Neskowin five years ago in what they called a “sort of a homecoming.”
The 300+ page, hardback coffee table book takes readers on a visual journey through time featuring photographs of the area’s iconic landscapes such as Proposal Rock and the mysterious Ghost Forest, as well as portraits of the town’s pioneering families. Copies of the book will be available for purchase during the event for $100; cash preferred.
“We wanted to have a different approach [than a history book],” Neskowin Historical Foundation member Michael Schlicting said. “We wanted to create an artbook that was photo-driven, and the captions would give the context and the history. Each chapter opens with a synopsis. The ‘fun’ was the act of discovery, pulling on threads, and seeing the tapestry unfold in front of us of how Neskwoin came to be what it is.”
The book was primarily researched and compiled by the founding members of the Neskowin Historical Foundation including: Affolter, Schlicting, Cameron Nagel, Cathy Benneth, Steve Beckham, and Jody Stager. A call for photos was put out to the community, which brought forth rare, “found” photos, and history that had never been documented.
“The interesting thing that we found was that Neskowin became a farming community and a beach resort from day one,” Schlicting said. “People came from the valley in 1880 to camp for the summer and have clambakes and dances. We found newspaper articles and first-person accounts which give a richness to these photos.”
The book’s cover photo features a young woman, book in hand, gazing at Proposal Rock. It was an image that stood out to the Neskowin Historical Foundation members.
“We wanted the cover photo to be one of the early photos,” Schlicting said. “We found this one to be compelling and a visual story. We kept coming back to it.”
Love a particular image? The Neskwoin Historical Foundation can assist with individual prints of photographs including a brief historical description of the image, so readers can curate their own collection of Neskwoin memories.
“It’s a beautiful book from a visual standpoint,” said Schlicting. “If you’re a history buff or have an interest in how the coast was developed, I think it will be an attractive book.”
The Neskowin Historical Foundation is a community-driven non-profit dedicated to uncovering and preserving the history of Neskowin, Oregon, over the past 150 years. Their goal is to ensure that this important information is easily accessible to everyone, through both printed publications and digital platforms.
More information about ordering and shipping additional book copies can be found at NeskowinHistoricalFoundation.org.
