As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
August 29, 2018
As we get ready for this year's Cranberry Festival, Sept. 7-9, I searched through my pictures of past Cranberry parades, and came up with this one from 1962.
Cranberry Festival parade, 1962
In those days the parade came down Second Street, and this picture of the Fisher's Body Shop float was taken at Chicago and Second.
I can see Billy Burgher and one of the Hopson boys standing behind the float. As you look down the west side of Chicago, you can see a barber shop, which is now the home of Angelo's Italy. Next to it is the old Stephan Hotel, which has been the home of Cranberry Sweets for many years.
Across the street, in the building which is now the Wheelhouse and Crowsnest Lounge, is Bob Schultz' Bandon Plumbing, Heating & Sheetmetal shop. This is before Graydon Stinnett used the top part of the building for his Bandon Seafood office.
I can still remember as a child when Jim Walstrom's Central Transfer business was in the building, and I can close my eyes and see that there was some kind of a large door on the north side of the building. I did not remember exactly where Central Transfer was located until I began reading through my 1938 copy of Polk's Coos County Directory, and saw an address for the Central Transfer Co.. Then I remembered what it looked like, long before there were sidewalks or boat slips in that area.
I have two very old Polk's directories for Coos County, with the other being for 1940. I have searched long and hard for other years, but while they are available to look at through various genealogy sites, there are none to purchase. I spend hours poring through these books, gleaning bits of history which help to jog my memory as to people and places.
The sign in the window of Capps Motor Co., at right, advertises 1963 Fords.
The second picture was taken sometime in the 1970s, but the envelope that contained the negatives did not contain a date, so I am just guessing based on the years of the vehicles, which my car expert, Rick Pennington, says are all 1970 models.
In those days, the building along Highway 101 adjacent to McKay's that formerly housed Steve's Auto Parts and is now the Napa Auto Parts Store, was the home of Seafair Ford.
Seafair Ford, 1970
It's had an interesting history. E. Ray Sparks and his wife, Sondra, operated Bandon Ford-Mercury in the early '90s, and by the time he was charged with racketeering in 1995, he owed Ford over $6 million dollars, and the owner of the building, Buck Rogers, $400,000 in back rent.
Newspapers across the country reported on the downfall of a man who appeared to be one of Ford's top dealers, reportedly outselling much larger dealerships in much larger areas ... until it all came crashing down.
The third picture features former Bandon School Superintendent Irv Easom, who served the local schools from 1975 to 1980.
Bandon School Superintendent Irv Easom
I recently connected with Irv on Facebook, and he told me his wife, Charlotte, had died in January of 2017. He now lives in Ontario, Oregon, at 1337 Alameda Drive. The zip is 97914.
* * *
On the November 6 ballot, people who live in the city limits of Bandon will see a ballot measure about the proposed swimming pool.
Actually, the council has agreed to submit a charter amendment that would prohibit the city from paying for the operation and maintenance of a swimming pool ... without a specific vote of the people.
Several of us have expressed support, both vocally and monetarily, toward the building of a swimming pool for the people of Bandon. But as members of the council, we were afraid of what could happen if for some unknown reason, the pool was not able to be self-funding through fees, donations, etc. We were afraid that people would come to the council, expecting the city to take over operation of the pool.
As most of you realize, the city of Bandon has one of the lowest property tax rates in the state, at 46 cents a thousand, which means that we could not possibly operate and maintain a pool in our present financial situation.
What this amendment to the city's charter does is allow the council to support the efforts of the pool committee without risk of later having to spend public funds to operate the pool if the private entity were not able to sustain the costs.
It's a win/win situation for both the council, the swimming pool committee and the community.
* * *
As many of you locals have seen, the trolley is running a regular route Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
It leaves the Face Rock Creamery at 11 a.m. each day, and makes a number of stops throughout the community, including Old Town, the South Jetty, Coquille Point and City Park. The entire loop takes just under 45 minutes, and you can get on or off at any of the stops.
And the best thing ... it's free.
The Port of Bandon and the City went together to purchase the old trolley from Jacksonville, Or., and have spent nearly a year getting it ready for its maiden voyage, which was last Thursday night. Riders included city councilors, port commissions and others.
The trolley will be operated through an agreement with Coos County Area Transit, which is providing the driver and worked with the city to determine the route.
It's important to point out that this is not designed to be a public transportation system, but is a fun tourist attraction.
We're still trying to work out the proverbial "bugs," and are open to suggestions ....
* * *
As fires continue to burn across the Pacific Northwest, some have asked me about Bandon's water supply.
Jim Youravish, who runs the city's water plant, said "our water supply is stable and our tanks are full."
He told City Manager Robert Mawson that he has heard no one express concern about our water supply or our ability to supply water in case of a fire.
For years, Bandon had only a million gallons of water storage; today we have three million gallons, and the tanks are full and the stream flows are good.
Former city manager Matt Winkel, who is chairman of the city's utility commission, added: "As far as I know, other than the big one that burned the town down, we have never had a fire that required that much water."
Winkel stressed that in future years, the need could change if the water from Ferry and Geiger creeks stopped flowing in the event of a severe drought. And that is why the city is looking at building a reservoir that would hold up to 100 acre feet of water. That would allow water to be stored in the winter while it is flowing, and then saved for possible emergency use during the summer.
There is also the possibility that another 2 million gallon storage tank could be erected, which would further enhance the city's capability to store water.
* * *
There have been a number of head-on crashes in Oregon lately. The Oregon State Police have a new way of describing distracted driving, which means texting, talking or doing something other than paying attention to the road. It's called "lane occupancy."
A recent accident on Highway 26 in Washington County occurred when a 2014 Kia crossed the center line and crashed into a Lexus. Three people died in that wreck.
"It is determined that speed and lane occupancy were contributing factors."
Really? Let's try to find out why the Kia was driving in the wrong lane; that would make more sense.
* * *
Kathy and Bill Phillips received two calls recently in the same week, which were apparently part of the ongoing "grandparents scam."
Kathy was the first to answer the phone. A young man, who said he was her grandson, started to give his spiel as to what had happened to him and why he needed her to send money.
But Kathy knew it was a scam ... because they have no grandsons.
Then Bill received a similar call, with a young man saying, "Hi Uncle Bill." They do have quite a few nephews. Bill asked who it was, and the young man said, "who do I sound like?" And Bill replied, "Marcus."
And, he said, "Yes, that's right, it's Marcus."(Not sure if that was the correct name as I forgot to write it down, but you get the picture).
Bill already knew it was a scam, and hung up.
Unfortunately, this scam has worked in many cases where unsuspecting senior citizens fall for it .. and end up sending money to unknown people and places before they realize they've been scammed.
Kathy and Bill wanted to alert Bandon residents to the fact that this is now surfacing again.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
August 22, 2018
I love this first picture, probably taken sometime in the 1970s, of the former Robertson's building, at the west end of First Street.
Robertson's building, 1970s
It's not that this building, which housed Fred Robertson's thriving sand and gravel business, is particularly special, but because of how different that area looks today. After Fred retired, his son, Earle, operated the business for many years.
Today, this building, or a remodel of it, houses Edgewaters restaurant, one of the community's most popular fine dining establishments. At far right you can see the old Breuer building (now a vacation rental dwelling) before it was remodeled into the beautiful structure that it is today.
In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Dew Valley Club, I am sharing a picture I took over 50 years ago (January of 1966) of three long-time club members hard at work sewing blankets and quilts.
Dew Valley Club, 1966
From left are Vivian Kranick (later Brown), Frances Baker and Viola Loshbaugh. I printed four of the photos to take to the Club members, who held an Open House Sunday in observance of their centennial anniversary. Most of us could identify Vivian and Viola, but I had to search around to find someone who knew Frances. It turned out to be retired teacher Careen Pierce, who recognized Frances right away, as having been someone who babysat her children when they were young.
It was fun going through their scrapbooks, as I found many pictures, taken by me, which had appeared in Western World over the years, as well as small articles which had been in the paper during my years as a reporter and sometimes editor (depending which of the 12 owners I was working for at any given time).
I talked with several of the long-time members, who remembered the days when the Dew Valley Clubhouse hosted dances, as well as grange meetings. But over the years, the building on 101 just across from Misty Meadows has been the home of the Dew Valley Club. Their group doesn't have as many members as they did when I used to cover events there, but they are still just as dedicated to sewing, embroidering and crocheting items to sell at the Bandon Old Town Marketplace, where you can find them on weekends against the west wall raising money to maintain their building and for charity. Dottie Gunther is the club president.
I am sharing the third picture of former Bandon Police Officer Mike Trotter, taken in 1980, because I learned this weekend that Trotter died Thursday at his home in Redding, Calif., where he has lived since moving from Bandon years ago.
Bandon Police Officer Mike Trotter, 1980
I do not know the details, but apparently his daughter called long-time friends, Harold and Frannie Montgomery, in Bandon to tell them of his death. I searched the Redding newspaper, but could find no obituary for him.
* * *
We had a wonderful time at the Kingston Trio concert Saturday night, held at the Sprague Theater as a benefit for the Sixes Fire Department. It was fun to be greeted and shown to our seats by members of the fire department, who helped in a number of ways to make the event such a success.
A local area band, Soul Pie, opened for the Kingston Trio.
Thanks to Ann Remy and her son Gary, Jeff Norris and I were thrilled to meet with Josh Reynolds (son of one of the original three, Nick Reynolds) who grew up on Elk River and has many friends in this area. Josh has some ideas as to how we might better market the Sprague, and we are more than willing to hear what he has to offer.
As you can imagine, he knows a lot of people in the music industry, and he says it's a shame that we had only two programs scheduled in the Sprague this summer. He wants to help change that.
Although they were scheduled to hold a concert this Saturday, Aug. 25, at the Events Center at the Curry County Fairgrounds in Gold Beach, that all changed when it was determined that the facility was needed for firefighters. They will now host the concert at TJ's Pub and Grill in Port Orford, beginning at 7 o'clock.
* * *
The last Utility Newsletter that accompanied our electric bills was a bit confusing, according to several who read it and asked me what it meant. City Manager Robert Mawson explained that the $15,049 spill charge for 2018 is being applied to the June, July, August and September wholesale power bills that the City receives from Bonneville Power Administration. This amount was anticipated and included in the power purchase budget prepared by the City for fiscal year 2018-19. So this particular spill charge increase is not being passed on to our customers.
Mawson explained however that this will not be the last spill charge as the Court has directed BPA to spill the maximum amount of water they can each year (for fish passage), so it is highly probable that future spill charges will be difficult for the City to absorb and will result in a pass-through to our customers.
The BPA will charge 143 of its utility customers throughout the Pacific Northwest, including the City of Bandon, surcharges over the next four months totaling $10.2 million. The charges will cover the cost of a federal judge's order for the experimental water spill program for fish passage at Columbia and Snake River dams, which was requested by salmon advocates and environmental groups, according to a recent article in a Washington state publication.
* * *
I believe I mentioned this last week, or at least I definitely brought it up at the last city council meeting, but the new thick white lines at 11th and 101 are causing problems for drivers.
If people stop at those lines, they sometimes do not connect with the sensor which changes the lights ... and they don't realize it until they've gone through several cycles without the light changing. I saw one driver get out of his pickup and go up to the guy in front of him, at 11th and 101, to tell him to move up to the sensor, which he did. And then the light changed. A woman told me she had a similar experience this week. I was talking with one of our police officers the other day when a woman asked if it was legal to pull up to the crosswalk rather than to stop at the new white line, and he said it was fine.
I asked our city manager to contact the state and request that they rectify the problem that they created . . .
In the meantime, unless you want to sit at the light for a long time, move ahead to make sure you trip the sensor.
It makes sense to have those white lines back from a crosswalk, which has no traffic signal, like Ninth and Tenth, but not at a signaled intersection.
* * *
Several people asked me if the woman in the wheelchair, who fell into the street at Ninth and 101, Aug. 13 had been struck by a car. Many drove by and saw people attending to her, with her wheelchair alongside of her, before the ambulance and police arrived.
The answer is no. The woman is a resident of West Wind Court, who was attempting to negotiate her wheelchair onto the sidewalk behind La Kris Motel when she fell backwards onto the pavement. The ambulance took her to the local hospital after she reportedly suffered a bump on the back of her head.
Ten days earlier, something similar happened to the same woman in front of city hall. As she was crossing 101 in her wheelchair, she fell into the middle of the highway, causing traffic to stop in all directions. People helped her back into her wheelchair and when I saw her she was on the sidewalk in front of City Hall talking with first responders. Two employees of West Wind Court arrived on scene in a small vehicle, but did not appear able to transport a person in a wheelchair. I expressed concern about her safety, but one of the employees from West Wind Court told me it is her "civil right" to go where she chooses. They left and the ambulance transported her to the hospital.
I don't envy those whose responsibility it is to keep her safe, as it appears to be quite difficult to balance a person's civil rights ... and their safety, and I sincerely hope that both can occur.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
August 15, 2018
Unfortunately I can't identify any of the Ocean Crest children in this picture, taken during a field day in 1978, but I can definitely pick out long-time Ocean Crest principal Jim Cowan. This may have been 40 years ago, but Jim still looks as good today as he did back then ... as does his wife Kathy.
Ocean Crest principal Jim Cowan, 1978
I am posting the second picture for my younger readers, who have probably never been to the polls to vote, since voting is all done by mail-in-ballot these days. This photo was taken in November of 1970 as well-known artist Pernot Duff, at left, gets her ballot from elections clerk Edith Gallier. Not sure who the other woman is, but at top right, voting her ballot, is Josephine Breuer Taylor, sister of Mike Breuer, the cobbler. The Breuer building still stands today on the west end of First Street, between Edgewater's Restaurant and the old Coast Guard building, and is one of the few buildings to survive the Fire of 1936.
Voting at the polls, 1970
I remember years ago when Vote by Mail was first introduced .... I didn't like it then and I don't like it now. I know I have shared this story before, but the first time ballots were mailed, I went to the post office and found five or six (or maybe it was more) ballots that had been thrown into the garbage without even being ripped up. It would have been a simple thing for someone to pick them out of the trash and go to the people whose ballots they were and ask them to sign them so they could vote their ballots. It was obvious they didn't care enough to vote .... or even to make sure someone else didn't vote for them.
I wrote a pretty hard-hitting editorial about my find, but I never did identify the people who had so casually thrown away their vote .... but I always wondered if that was a mistake.
The idea of Vote by Mail was supposed to make it easier for people to vote, but I fear that has not been the case as has been evidenced in past elections where so many simply did not bother to mail their ballots.
The third photo, taken in 1970 in front of the beautiful Dave Miller Field sign at the high school, pictures three Bandon High School football all-stars, (from left) Bruce Capps, Truett Forrest and Dan Winters. I still remember taking that picture as the schools were my beat, along with pretty much everything else.
Bandon High School football all-stars, 1970
* * *
"Murder at Two Mile: A True Bandon Mystery", presented by The Gaels, a local readers theater group, was sold out for all three performances this weekend. Taking part were Gaels members Neal Davis, Mike Dempsey, John Fink, Richard Robinett, Amy Moss Strong and Donald Zealand. It was directed by Corrie Gant. Michelle Winchell is also a Gaels member and greeted people at the door. Davis wrote the script based on a true story.
Murder at Two Mile is the story of Ebba Wiren Covell, who was murdered on Labor Day, 1923, at her Two Mile home south of Bandon.
The story is significant to me in several ways. To begin with the numerous articles which followed the case from the day her body was found to the hanging of Arthur Covell, were written by my grandfather, L. D. Felsheim, who owned and operated the Western World for many years.
Also, there is a reference in a book about the murders, written by Andie Jensen, to H. H. Dufree, who is said to have come upon Mrs. Covell, who was crying as she walked with two of her young children. Actually, I am pretty sure that was my other grandfather, H. H. Dufort, as I searched at length through early records and can find no one named Dufree in Bandon's history. That part of the story in Andie's book actually came out of the Coquille Sentinel, so it is not surprising that since he was not from Coquille, they misspelled his name.
H. H. is also quoted as saying, after he had heard about her death, that she "either committed suicide or was murdered." And he was right.
I mentioned in my column last week that in my extensive old postcard collection, I have one which I felt was probably written by Ebba Wiren, and I have now determined that is correct. She signed her name E. C. Wiren, and according to one history site, her middle name was Caroline; Jensen's book says her middle name was Catherine, which I think is correct. At any rate, E.C. were her initials and she wrote the post card to a friend in Coquille City, Oregon, Sept. 26, 1912, when she was 20 years old and teaching in Bandon. At that time she was living in the lighthouse keepers quarters with her parents as her father, Oscar Wiren, was the lighthouse keeper. In September of 1917, she became Dr. Covell's fourth wife (he was divorced from the first and the other two died, including one in childbirth). She had three young children before she was murdered in September of 1923 by her step-son, 16-year-old Alton Covell, who was under the spell of his paralyzed uncle, Arthur Covell. Arthur was later hanged for the crime. Alton spent 10 or 11 years in prison before being released.
Bill Smith, who shares the history bug with me, found in the 1930 census that Dr. Covell had moved to Los Angeles with a new wife (his fifth) and two of the children born to him and Ebba. Ebba's oldest child, Gladys, shows up in the 1930 census as living with her uncle, Loyal Wiren, in the state of Washington.
Loyal is mentioned in her postcard. The thing that remains a mystery is why she would say "I am feeling quite well but I get so tired when I walk so have been staying home. Loyal is back at his work again."
She also starts the postcard to her friend, Mrs. J. L. Roy, by saying, "We heard you were sick the other day and have all been wondering how you are getting along."
Now I have to figure out what was going around in 1912 that would have caused so much emphasis on the health of Ebba Wiren, her brother Loyal and her friend, Mrs. Roy.
The back of the postcard is, of course, what I have been focusing on, but the front is a wonderful picture of the S. S. Tillamook crossing the Bandon bar.
* * *
A worried young woman asked me the other day if the city council was banning pit bulls. I told her we were not as there had been no discussion of breed-specific dogs. But the council had discussed the issue of aggressive dogs after a recent attack by two pit bulls in a Bandon neighborhood.
* * *
After four unsuccessful calls to Comspan's call center in an attempt to cancel the service at The Continuum, I decided to try a different approach. When I sent in the $76 payment for my own Internet to the Roseburg address for Comspan, I included a letter outlining the trouble I had in simply trying to cancel a service, and I was clearly agitated (that is a nice way of putting it).
To my amazement, two days later I received a call from the CEO of Comspan, who had been with the company for 16 years. He apologized profusely and assured me that the account had now been closed, and he promised that things would be better soon.
I outlined many of the negative things that have occurred with Comspan in recent years, including closing the local office. He assured me that the office will be opening soon, with a real person to help customers, and other things that should make Comspan customers happy.
I hope it's not too late. I know that the hospital and the clinic were without phone service for several hours one day last week (actually it might have been like most of the day) and it was reportedly a problem with the Comspan service. I believe they may be looking at another service provider. But at least for now, I have been assured that things will get better for Bandon customers, which is good news!
* * *
I have learned that Eileen Scott, who was an assistant to Judy Knox at the museum for a couple of years, died recently after a lengthy illness. I always enjoyed talking to Eileen and learning her perspective on things!
* * *
I've heard that six or seven rifles were stolen from Forrest Simpson's gun shop, FCS Protection Services, at 11th and Fillmore early last Monday morning. Two people apparently broke their way through the glass door, stole the guns, and were gone in a very short time in a get-away car, which was reportedly parked along Rosa Road.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
August 08, 2018
It's Sunday (and just happens to be my birthday), but like the US Mail, my column must "go through" ... or something like that.
The first picture I am sharing is from my collection of old postcards, and was probably taken sometime in the '20s or maybe earlier. You don't realize how huge the sailing schooner (if that's what it's called) is until you see the tiny tug in the middle of the bay. The postcard is titled: "Looking Over the Bay at Bandon." I did find a similar scene in my collection, dated Aug. 26, 1918.
Sailing schooner, 1920s
In the background you can see the mill that was built in 1906 by L. J. Cody and George Moore. Originally known as Cody Mill, it burned in 1909, and Moore purchased Cody's interest and rebuilt, renaming it Moore Mill. During World War I the mill cut spruce for US Army airplanes.
It was purchased in 1943 by the Miller family, who operated it for many years as Moore Mill & Lumber Co. before closing in the mid-'80s. It caught fire and burned while being dismantled in 1987.
The second picture, taken during a fire drill at Bandon High School, was probably taken in the early 1960s. I can see teachers Ernie Neal and Rea Tresidder at right, and in the door of the music room, is long-time band director Lou Wright. Behind the industrial arts building, and across Ninth, is what was at one time the kindergarten, and today serves as the school district office.
Fire drill at Bandon High School, 1960s
I love this third picture, which was taken in about 1963, as my uncle Lou Felsheim (with his darkroom apron on) tries to get on the roof of M&L Grocery which is on fire. You can barely see the smoke rising from the shingles, but with Bandon's history of fires, even the smallest one caused panic. The step ladder that Lou is on is being held by one of the store's owners, Fred Moore.
M&L Grocery on fire, 1963
Since I started working at the paper in 1959, and we were directly across the street in the space now occupied by The Cobbler's Bench, I am pretty sure that I took the pictures. This is just one in a series of shots that shows Lou on the top of the roof with a fire extinguisher working to put out the fire as the fire department arrives on scene.
The store was located right where the Minute Cafe's parking lot is today.
* * *
After spending Friday swimming at Sixes with my sisters Maggie and Molly and Maggie's son and three of her grandchildren, they cooked a birthday dinner for me.
I had gone up Sixes to the spot, owned by the Crew family, a number of times in the last two years, but Molly was always driving and I failed to pay attention as to how far it was from the highway.
Big mistake.
I told them I would be there around 2 Friday, but left a bit earlier. But as I drove up the road, I had it in my mind that the property was about 10 miles from the highway, and I knew it was past Edson Creek. I was expecting to see a large sign for the Edson Creek campground, so I wasn't too worried ... until I saw a sign warning me that the next 1.3 miles was a one-way road. I thought to myself, "this does not look familiar," but I rationalized that the road must have dropped away during the winter, so I kept on going. Thank God I did not meet anyone because it would have been a frightening experience to back up along the narrow, winding road, with nothing but a sheer dropoff on one side. But I kept on going ...
When I came to the end of the pavement and hit gravel, I knew for sure that I was lost. I was beginning to get a bit anxious since I knew I had to traverse that narrow stretch of road again and there is no cell service up there. I soon found a house and pulled in to ask if they knew where the Crew property was. The owner said it was two miles back toward the highway. And she said the Edson campground was even further down the road. I wondered how I could have missed it; later I saw the tiny sign and knew how that happened.
At any rate I finally made it to my destination, none the worse for the emotional wear.
* * *
Joan DeCosta Goodbrod called me this week to say that the "new" Bandon High School (which burned in 1974) was actually occupied/built in 1950, not 1951. She remembers well because she was a senior when they moved to the newly built school probably after Christmas break, and they were the first class to graduate from the school. Not sure where I read 1951 ... or maybe I made it up, but I know that 1950 is the correct year.
* * *
David took me out to The Gallery at Bandon Dunes Saturday night for dinner, and we sat next to a very charming couple, who I learned was Philip Bailey, lead singer for the band Earth, Wind and Fire, and his wife, singer/songwriter Valerie Bailey (nee Davis), who has worked with superstars like Whitney Houston and Celine Dion.
I Googled Philip Bailey, and saw a video posted by him on Twitter "taking a moment to appreciate the beauty at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort."
As we were trying to decide what to order, Valerie turned to us and showed us the wagyu beef burger she had ordered, and we exchanged pleasantries.
The Resort is such a treat ... for us locals and people from all over the world.
* * *
The Gaels Readers Theater is presenting the Covell murder case this weekend, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, at the Sprague Room in the Bandon Library. "Murder at Two Mile: A True Bandon Mystery" tells the story of the murder of Ebba Covell, wife of Bandon chiropractor Fred Covell, which occurred in 1923.
When I worked at Western World, we went back into the old volumes of the paper and reprinted the entire Covell murder case over a span of quite a few weeks.
It is a fascinating story and one you won't want to miss. Friday and Saturday night shows start at 7, and Sunday's show is at 2. Admission is $5 at the door.
Ebba was Dr. Covell's second wife and she was the daughter of the long-time Coquille River lighthouse keeper, Capt. Oscar Wiren. His first wife died leaving him with two small children. He and Ebba had three young children.
In my collection I have a postcard, dated Sept. 25, 1912, written to a person in Coquille from an E. C. Wiren of Bandon. In it she refers to Loyal, who she says is "back at his work." According to the genealogy sites, Ebba Wiren had a brother named Loyal, so it may well be that Ebba Wiren Covell wrote the postcard that is in my collection. If I knew when she married Fred Covell, I would know for sure, but I haven't found that yet. It may also have been written by her mother, whose name was Caroline.
* * *
I've learned that the Bandon Playhouse, highly regarded for the entertainment it has provided for the people of Bandon and the South Coast, is now on a year-long sabbatical. Former Playhouse president Paul Hay sent an email to City Manager Robert Mawson in late July saying that immediately he was resigning his position as chairman of the Arts Council.
"The Bandon Playhouse is going to take a year-long sabbatical to determine where we are going to go from here and as such do not think I'm the right person to be holding such an important position," Hay said, adding "thanks for your support and understanding."
Hay was also previously serving as director of sales and marketing for the Sprague Theater.
I sincerely hope that someone will step forward and revitalize the Bandon Playhouse, which has been providing stellar entertainment in Bandon for more than 40 years.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
August 01, 2018
The first picture I am sharing this week was probably taken sometime in the 1920s, and although I have seen several different views, I did not realize that the Bandon Library was in the building at the end of Alabama on the right.
Downtown Bandon, 1920s
Not only is that a great picture of the First National Bank building (now the Masonic building), but it also a great picture of the Catholic Church, which was built in 1893 on the same land where the church sits today, overlooking the Coquille River.
For a better perspective, I think that Olivia's Cottage is about where the Rex Theater is in the picture, next to the New York Clothing Store and down from the Agate Cafe.
I found a bit about the library in Dow Beckham's book about the Fire of 1936. It explains that in 1913 the bank constructed its building against the bluff on Alabama Street and moved there the following year. This, of course, is one of the few buildings to survive both the 1914 and the 1936 fires.
"In 1914 the citizens of Bandon voted a tax to support the public library and at the July 16 meeting the city council voted to follow through with financial support. The estimated yearly cost was $720. In July of 1919, the library board moved the library into a new building at Alabama and Second Streets (which you can see in this picture). Mrs. F. Amelia Henry served for nearly three decades as librarian."
After the fire destroyed both the library and the city hall, a new building was constructed at Fillmore and Highway 101 (now home of the Bandon museum) to serve as city hall, with the library occupying the southeast part of the building. The new city hall was built in 1970 and the library moved with it before relocating to its spacious new quarters in City Park.
The first Catholic church was built on that site in 1883 and was named Mary, Refuge of Sinners. At that time it was the only Catholic church on the coast between Astoria and the California border. It later became Holy Trinity. The original church survived the fire of 1914, although Bandon lost nearly two blocks of its business section, but it was destroyed in the 1936 fire and later rebuilt on the same property where it stands today.
I love this second picture, taken in 1958, because it is one of the best photos I've seen of the high school, which was destroyed in an arson fire in January of 1974.
Bandon High School, 1958
At far right you can see the baseball grandstand. This high school was built in 1951 ... the year I was in seventh grade, and it housed the junior high school as well as the high school until construction work on Harbor Lights Junior High and the gym began in 1956.
Not sure where the third picture was taken because it does not appear to be the local high school baseball field, but it's a great picture of Coach Dick Sutherland talking to his ace, Hiemer Kiefer, who graduated in 1974. It looks like Dennis Williams behind Kiefer, but I'm just not sure.
Coach Dick Sutherland & Hiemer Kiefer
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It appears that the Bi-Mart Country Music Festival is finding it increasingly difficult to find a spot to relocate because of concerns about the magnitude of the crowds, and the problems that causes.
Festival sponsors have been trying to move the venue from Brownsville to Marion County, outside of Salem, but it now appears that Marion County plans to deny the move to farmland bordering the Ankeny Wildlife Reserve, according to a recent story in the Salem Statesman-Journal. The new venue was to be for the 2019 concert.
One of the major concerns was the problems caused by some 30,000 people trying to get to the concert; sponsors predicted that number could swell to 60,000 people.
The Bi-Mart Cape Blanco Country Music Festival was held on farmland in northern Curry County for several years.
I haven't heard what problems, if any, may have been encountered since the Curry festival moved to Central Point two years ago. This year's concert was held last week, July 26-29.
Shortly after I wrote this, I saw in the paper that their request to move the festival to Marion County was denied so they will remain in Brownsville until they find another site ... that could potentially hold the 60,000 people that they are predicting.
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I saw a death notice last week for A. W. "Bill" Sweet of North Bend, who was raised in Bandon and at the Sweet ranch on Elk River. He died July 22 at the age of 98. A. W. was one of five children born to W. J. Sweet and his wife, Theresa Hanly Sweet, which included Piercy Sweet and Anne Felsheim, both of Bandon, who preceded him in death. His older sister, Helen Mayes, died many years ago. Among his survivors are his brother, Don Sweet of California, who is in his mid-90s. He and his late wife, Evelyn, had several children, including sons, Bill and Bob Sweet. I have not seen any service announcement although arrangements are under the direction of the Coos Bay Chapel. Coos County Commissioner John Sweet is a nephew and Sue Sweet of Langlois is a niece.
A.W. was associated with the Bank of Bandon and Western Bank for many years, and spearheaded the building of the Boys and Girls Club in the Coos Bay area. He was also the former chairman of the Oregon AAA board of directors.
He made the news five years ago when he spent 29 hours over an embankment after he'd run off the road when returning from a cabin on the Illinois River in the Agness area. Unable to climb up the bank, he spent the night in his vehicle. He was found unhurt after a sheriff's deputy saw that grass had been disturbed alongside the road.
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My Comspan saga lives on. Last Tuesday I called to cancel the service at the Continuum as one of our tenants was tired of the poor service and had Spectrum (Charter) installed. The guy in the call center told me someone from Comspan would call me later that day to officially cancel the service.
That was five days ago ... and I'm still waiting.
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I've heard some negative feedback about the July council meeting where one of the issues was a hearing on proposed changes to the Vacation Rental Dwelling ordinance, recommended by the planning commission.
Even if I attempted to tell readers what happened, it would only be my version. The best thing is to stream the meeting by going to coosmediacenter.viebit.com. It's all there, unedited and in living "color."
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I attended the Celebration of Life for Buck Rogers Saturday at the Bandon Community Center. It was a wonderful, fitting tribute to a man who touched so many lives in the nearly five decades that the family lived here.
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Goodnight Lucas posted on Facebook Friday letting people know that he had talked to a man who lives off Rosa Road who said his house was burglarized twice in one day last week. "His neighbor said he saw two young men on a four-wheeler (green in color), they wore shorts and were barefoot. Also a young woman. Keep a look out for them," said Lucas.
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The Bandon Police Department also posted a warning, saying they had received a call Friday about a telephone scam. "The caller claims to be 'JoDee Tittle' of Southern Coos Hospital and Health District and asks to verify the age of the answering party to see if they would be eligible for a service or program." The hospital confirmed that they are making no such calls.
"Police remind citizens to never provide money or personal information to someone over the phone if you didn't solicit the call."
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I talked with John Olson, owner of Tesoaria Vineyard & Winery of Roseburg, who announced several months ago that he planned to open a tasting room in Bandon in the building just east of Face Rock Creamery that previously housed Speakeasy 33.
Olson said his plans have changed and that he will be making his wine at the Bandon location, but he isn't sure yet about the retail side of the business.
Previous columns by Mary Schamehorn
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