The earliest known inhabitants of what is today the Brookings-Harbor area were members of the Chetco tribe of Indians, an Athapascan linguistic group of people who lived along the Chetco River and regions of the lower Winchuck River northward to Cape Ferrelo. Not much is is known about the culture of the prehistoric Chetco people. Lucy Dick is remembered as the last of the Chetcos in the Chetco tribal area. Lucy was sent to the Siletz Reservation after the Indian wars of the mid-1850's. Lucy died in 1940 and is buried in the Old Pioneer Cemetery in Harbor.
During the 1870's and 1880's travelers and merchandise going between Chetco and Grants Pass went via Crescent City in horse-drawn stage coaches and wagons on a one-land dirt road. When two vehicles met on the road, one or the other had to back up a distance to let the other pass. In 1904 the County established a ferry across the Chetco at a point about one fourth of a mile above the E. L. Miller home at the mouth of Ferry Creek. The ferry was discontinued in 1915 when a bridge spanning the river just north of the present site of the Hansom Center and Sport haven was built.
Not until March 3, 1863 was a postmaster appointed for Chetco. The Chetco office was in operation until 1910. The Harbor Post Office was established in 1894 and the Brookings Post Office in 1913. Though it is a late comer, the Brookings Office is now the largest in the Community and serves over 20,000 customer in its delivery area from Pistol River to the California State line.
The date and place of the first school in the Chetco area are not know. Most education was taught from the home. As early as 1910, before the Brookings Timber & Lumber Company established the town of Brookings, there were families with children living up the Chetco River. A small combined school was built on the north bank about 18 miles up the river, at the Summer Bridge location. Today the Upper Chetco School is located approximately 5 miles up the Chetco River just before Loebe State Park. This school will close in the future, as the Brookings school district expands its facilities.
In 1924, a year before the C&O Company withdrew its operations, the Brookings High School became a standard 4-year school. The original Brookings High School building was located on Pacific Avenue where the Pacific Building now stands. In 1935, this building burned completely. As Brookings and Harbor grew, so did their consolidated school system. In 1946 school enrollment numbered 273. The present day school site was built in 1955, where today it graduates over 100 students yearly.
Brookings-Harbor owes its early development to the many timber companies that operated in the area. The first log came out of the pond and into the Brookings Lumber Company. The California and Oregon Lumber Company (C&O) took over much of the lands held by the Brookings Lumber Company. This company combined 32,000 acres of Douglas fir and 12,000 acres of redwood trees in northern Del Norte County, California. In 1921 the Company started construction of a long railroad bridge over the mouth of the Chetco River so that the redwood logs could be hauled from the logging camps in California to the mill in Brookings. The C&O company quit operation in 1925 and this bridge burned in the 1930's. Only one pier is left standing reminding us of the booming logging days of the early 1920's.
In the Brookings-Harbor area, the years since 1912 have brought a boom, a bust, a fresh start in the lumbering industry, and finally a considerable degree of stabilization. Timber continues to provide sustainability to the Brookings-Harbor community.
The significance of mining in the Brookings-Harbor area speaks more to the future than what it may have produced in the past. Up the headwaters of the Chetco River some gold was found. The original discoverer was Chester (Chess) Bravo, who took out $18,000 worth of gold from one pocket. Very little else was found but the rumors of gold strikes abound.
In 1942, first hostile bombs to hit mainland United States were dropped in Curry County. Nobuo Fujita dropped an incendiary bomb near Mt. Emily in a wild and timbered region. Fujita flew over 2 1/2 hours on each of his two bombing runs delivering four bombs, three of which were duds. The one that did explode, set off a small fire that was quickly put out by forest rangers in the area. Early in 1962, Fujita was invited to the Brookings Azalea festival. During the ceremonies he donated his family sword to the community, where it remains on display at the Brookings-Harbor Community Library.
Growing communities required stores of various kinds to meet people's consumer needs. In Brookings early years the C&O Lumber Company maintained a "mercantile" store in what is now the Kerr building. Early pioneers W. J. Ward, Mr. Steeves and Wilson Freeman operated stores where you will find the Mercantile Building, Miller's Sports unlimited and the local Shell station.
The first bank in Brookings was located in a discarded railroad box car, where it remained for some years. A Broookings State Bank was owned by George D. Wood was opened but soon closed during the Great Depression. Its vault can be seen at the old Crissey Building on Chetco Avenue. It was not until 1952 until the Oregon State Bank opened for business in Brookings.
Brookings first airport had been a rough field near the ocean, bounded by Alder and Del Norte Streets on one side and Chetco Avenue and Memory Lane on the other. Later, in 1950, the Crissey State-Line Airstrip was constructed with a 1700 foot runway. Both were inadequate for use by the Brookings community and another site was located to the north of the city. It was built on 50 acres of land valued at $50,000 in 1958. In 1967 the Air Taxi Commuter Service started connecting flights from Brookings Airport and Portland. However, today you will have to make your connections from Crescent City, California, the nearest airport to make your flights out of Brookings.
During the old mill days lumber was loaded on ocean-going ships anchored off the Brookings coast. That happened again in the mid-1930's when a few Japanese vessels came here for lumber. Not until 1959, however, was lumber again shipped directly from Brookings-Harbor via ocean-going crafts. The Sause Brothers Towing Company began barging lumber from here. Today, most of the lumber is processed locally and is transported out of Brookings by truck.
The Harbor Shopping Center was built in 1969 and in 1970 a "Center of Brookings" complex was begun with construction of the Chetco Drug Store by Arrell and Peterson. It was not until the 1990's did Brookings see the construction of the Fred Meyer store. New shops added to our community include the McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and soon Subway Sandwiches.
The Brookings-Harbor Chamber of Commerce was incorporated in 1923, with over 100 members. The present Chamber of Commerce building was moved from the Harbor Shopping Center to the Port of Brookings in early 1990.
The nearest hospital is located either in Crescent City or Gold Beach. Brookings made several attempts to establish its own hospital but could not reach an agreement with its citizens on cost or operation. Instead, Brookings has a medical center that supplies the majority of routine care for its population.
Despite the very shallow entrance channel to the mouth of the Chetco River, considerable lumber was barged from Brookings. Tourist facilities were developed near the Port, and the first restaurant, Sport haven, Inc. was opened in 1959. In 1964, Sport haven, Inc. developed the majority of the port slip that is in existence today.
The early settlers fished often and extensively, at first for their own food, then also for commercial shipment to California markets. The Van Pelt family were among the early commercial fishermen of the area. Ocean-going commercial fishing boats range in length 20 feet up to average approximately 60 feet. During 1973-76, 2,255,000 pounds of salmon, 5,903,000 pounds of salmon, 2,496,000 pounds of crab and 2,717,000 pounds of shrimp were unloaded at the Port of Brookings.
Since the Chetco bar is usually smooth, private boats 14-feet in length or longer, are often used for salmon fishing, bottom fishing, and some crab fishing. Salmon and bottom fishing is generally done from May through October. During the winter months crab are sought.
The first social club in Brookings was established in 1915 by the Driskells. The Club had all the necessary facilities including a pool hall, barber shop, and dance hall. The Driskell's piano served as the first piano in Curry County. In Harbor the Grange Hall has been a community center since it was built in 1934.
Swingeroos Square Dancers
The Azalea Garden Club was nationally known during its heyday. It was formed in 1945 and consisted of 34 members paying each $1 a year for membership dues. By 1949, membership grew to 108 and it became part of the National Federation of Garden Clubs. The Oregon Federation of Garden Clubs awarded it first place for its printed yearbooks for 1951 and 1952. However, the Azalea Garden Club saw its membership decline and wraped up in the political climate at the national level. The last entry in the Club's historical scrapbook is dated 1956.
The Pelican Bay Art Association was inspired and instigated in 1955 by Virginia and Clive Manley. For the first four years the Association had no officers; its main activity was conducting informal workshops - at first in the Manley home. It was relocated to Highway 101 in the early 1970's. Through the years varied activities by its members have included placing exhibits in the Azalea Festival and the Chetco Community Library.
In the mid-1970's Brookings at last got an outdoor recreational center of some significance. Costing about $190,000, it is located on a 6 1/2 acre site on Ransom Avenue and named the Bud Cross Park in honor of Brookings' longtime Chief of Police.
The Olympic-size swimming pool complex at the Park was financed by the Federal Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, channeled through Curry County, and by local donations. The remainder of the Park development was financed by a grant from the Federal government's Housing and Urban Development agency. A baseball diamond is laid out for Little League and softball games, and two tennis courts were added in 1977.
The Elmer Bankus Memorial Fountain Park on Chetco Avenue is a fountain surrounded by benches where pedestrians and tourists can relax for a time. This park was dedicated in 1973 and constructed of native rock, with three pool areas.
The City of Brookings used to enjoy the oft-noted distinction of having two State parks within its corporate boundaries. One at Harris Beach, the other at Azalea. Another State park is nearby, up the Chetco River, called Loeb. In 1994, Azalea State park became the responsibility of Brookings and is now a city park.
Harris Beach Park is situated approximately two miles north of Brookings. It provides approximately 141 acres of beaches, hiking trails and an ocean side playground for all visitors and residents of Brookings to enjoy. The ocean front is only one part of Harris park. Another section is the overnight camping area with 151 spaces for camping visitors. The camping facilities of Harris Beach Park is open throughout the year.
In 1937 the site of Azalea Park was overgrown with small trees and berry vines, used only as a mule pasture by the U. S. Forest Service. Amongst the tangled vegetation were growing scores of wild azaleas of five different varieties, some of them believed to be over 200 years old. Today, the park is over 36 acres making it one of the centerpieces for thousands of visitors each year.
Nine miles up the north bank of the Chetco River is Loeb State Park with 320 acres, mostly covered with huge myrtle trees. Shallow river swimming, fishing, picnic facilities and overnight camping make this park another delightful vacation spot.
Quite an achievement at that time, in view of the fact that the Azalea Festival, first staged in 1939, had been suspended during World War II years 1942-45. In 1946, it was revived and has grown in beauty and public appeal ever since. The Brookings Azalea Festival was listed in the 1946 "Holiday" magazine, as one of the six outstanding events in May throughout the entire United States.
Another addition to Brookings-Harbor festivals is the two-day Beachcomber Festival and Driftwood Craft Show, held annually in March. Begun in 1974, this event is modeled somewhat after the festival that takes place in Seaside, Oregon. Finally, Brookings celebrates the 4th of July with all day cookouts, gatherings, an "Anything That Floats Race", ending with a spectacular fireworks display over the harbor and bay.
This growing gamut of Brookings-Harbor festivals provides outlets for local creativity on all levels right down to some barnyard fun. They often require months of work for the sponsors, if only a few days or hours of pleasure for an appreciative public. Beauty, artistic creativity and dedication characterize these annual festivals in our community.
The history of our community continues to be written. Our unhurried Chetco community with its natural beauty, its "banana belt" climate, its varied human resources and even its relative "isolation" may yet become the outstanding cultural and educational center of the southwest Oregon.
