Image provided by: Chetco Community Public Library; Brookings, OR
About Brookings-Harbor pilot. (Brookings, Curry County, Oregon) 1946-1978 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1952)
D x?i BROOKINGS-HARBOR PILOTS SOUTHWESTERN OREGON IS NEW LAND OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ENTERPRISING BUSINESS For those men who wish to invest capital in such businesses as hshing for commercial trade, or such small manufacturing plants to turn v it unpauited furniture, southwestern Oregon oilers much With native wtMKls, with plywood available, with lumber handy, there is an abundant source of materials. Fishing in Pelican Bay, has never been touched to any extent b y commercial fishermen. If any activity were manifest along this tine certain a small amount of work at the mouth of the Chetco would offer fishermen a haven for their craft. Cedar l.ane Cannery, now doing some commercial canning as well as sportsmen's canning, is available for processing of fish from the sea. It would I k - folly to attempt to convince people that this area is fully developed—far from it—actually the area is still much in the p/imitive state—lacking in adequate highway facilities which are long over due for such a route as Highway io i —the scenic Oregon Coast I lighway which tourists know so little about. This January ", Brookings Plywtxxl Corporation opened its oper ations, which will employ about 400 in all its operations, There are a number of sawmills in the area employing almost a like number of men. 1 hese mills will create the source of supplies for several by products which could I k made profitable for the state’s economy. Raising of New Zealand flax, substitute for hemp, is potentially another great industry for this area for this hardy plant grows ex ceptionally well in this coastal climate—and especially this area. —v Beginning Of Plywood Plant Construction Last Summer Added Impetus To Industrial Growth of Curry County “ Upon a firm foundation” now' rests the mammoth structure which houses the Brookings Plywood Corporation. This illustrates the beginning, last summer of the construction of the plant which will mean much to the economy of southwestern Oregon. The plant is now in operation, employing several hundred people. Elsew here in this issue are pictures showing construction in the different stages, to give the reader a graphic picture of the size and scope of the new- plant. Plans for the plant are similar to the plant at Grants Pass. Orders for the product, according to officials, assures a long-time economy for Southwestern Oregon. Brookings Incorporated In 1951 And Named Council; City Faces Gigantic Building Program In Coming Few Years View Of Town Is Out-dated; Growth Pace Gets Faster T im e , tid e and r a p id ity o f a ll c h a rg e s in th is are a w a it fo r no m an. T he p ic tu re o f B ro o k in g s , show n above, w as ta k e n la st fa ll by R a lp h V in c e n t, fr o m H o te l B ro o k in g s S in ce the n so m an y I c h a rg e s have been w ro u g h t so m u c h so th a t th e p ic tu re is ac- i t u a lly o u t-d a te d . F ir s t to c a tc h th e eye is th e R e x a ll sign. F. A. A r r e ll m oved | to the new M a n 'e y B u ild in g , next i to th e P in e Cone th e a tre , in th e 'c e n te r o f th e p ic tu re . S ince th e i p ic tu re w as t a k e n . F re e m a n 's M a rk e t has been co m p le te d a rd is now s e rv in g th is a n a . M ost o f th e c h a n g in g scenery o f th e area n a t u r a lly w ill not he in clu d e d in Ih e p ic tu re o f M a in s tre e t, o r C h e tco A venue, as it is show n on th e c ity p la t. B a c k in M a rc h . 1946, a t the tim e the P ilo t w as launched, th is scene w as q u ite d iffe re n t. A t th a t tim e th e re w as no G ra ysh e l b u ild ing, now h o using th e post office, M oo re's V a r ie ty and A p p a re l, and I C h etco H om e and A u to S u p p ly. M o o re ’s V a r ie ty and th e post i office, then, w e re in th e b u ild in g ¡ a t th e le ft, pu rcha sed last y e a r by C u r r y C o u n ty B a n k. A t th e tim e th e P ilo t cam e to J th e area, th e present B ro o k in g s M a rk e t was u n d e r c o n s tru c tio n . A t th a t tim e 4he present S h e ll s ta tio n w as n o n -e x is te n t; as was th a t w h o le side o f th e s tre e t to w a rd th e east, and in c lu d in g th e b u ild in g s occupied by G a lla g h e r, O. K . R u b b e r W e ld e rs, C h e vro n S ta tio n . W h e n th e P ilo t p u b lish e d its fir s t issue, w h a t is now th e H e n d ric k s B u ild in g , the n, w as a big p ile o f d im e n sio n lu m b e r. Such w as p a r tia lly th e scene here. N o w , those o f yo u w h o w a lk u p th e M a in D ra g , n o te th e C lin ic b u ild in g ; R e d fie ld G ro c e ry and the Goezt b u ild in g , w h e re at th a t tim e stood th e C h e vro n S ta tio n , and across th e s tre e t w as a s m a ll b u ild in g h o using C h etco C afe. T im e s have cha ng ed ! Across fro m th e pre sen t R ed fie ld G ro ce ry, in 1946, w as a v a c a n t lo t, w h e re once stood the fa m o u s S t. G eorge H o te l. N o w it is occupied by a new M o b il s ta tio n , and th e s tre e t lin e has a m e rto p o lita n look. T o m M o o re ’s h ill has been lo w ere d, and the . g e n e ra l to p o g ra p h y o f th e c ity is d r a s tic a lly changed. S o u th fro m th e present M o b il s ta tio n stood th e o ld -tim e mess- h a ll, now c o n v e rte d in to a ware-« house and a p a rtm e n ts . N o w , ju s t across th e s tre e t stands B ro o k in gs G arag e and M a ch in e shop T h e b u ild in g h o u sin g these tw o businesses Is new. B eyo nd th is p o in t th e re was n o th in g except th e re m a in s o f the once g re a t B ro o k in g s s a w m ill. In th a t stead, to d a y, stands th e F ox Bros, b u ild in g , B ro o k in g s P lyw o o d p la n t, and s a w m ill ( th is lie in g In s ta lle d in 1947 by B rim m Bros T im e m arch es on and in its w a k e arise new b u ild in g s , new hom es, and su b d ivisio n s. In any d ire c tio n on th e com pass fro m the th e o re tic a l c it y c e n te r one w ill see a lm o st n o th in g b u t b u ild in g s in th e \a r io u s phases o f c o n s tru c tio n and stake s d riv e n to de n o te w h e re o th e r soon w i ll be Peeling strongly the need for a municipal government, people of Brookings, in July of 1951, petitioned the county court for an election to incorporate, held July io By a vote of 153 to 85, incorporation was carried, with council election set Wednes day, Sept. 12, at which Robert (). Dimmick (seated, center) was named mayor by 176 vote; Warren Smith, 145 votes; Pete J. Lesmeister, 133 votes (seated left and right beside Mayor Dimmick); Charles Young, 129 votes; Fred Fox, i i $ votes, (standing, left and right) were named as the first council of Brookings. A tremendous task faces this group in the building of a city government, to plan all policies to do the most good for the most people. Until the city government is fully organized, the group meets weekly on Tuesday nights. 1 hese men. all successful in their own respective businesses, are trying to form a city government which will encourage the proper and stable grow th Brookings is en started. titled. No haste is being made, lest errors should creep in the book of ordinances. M ost n o tic e a b le is th e g ro w th people w h o have been awa> " H r want llrookmgs as a model city, with a city government that assures freedom, to fo r a tim e . T im e do e sn 't m a rc h that encourages,” was the expressed sentiment of all at the first meeting. to th e m - it sunply flies Mb Gold Beach, At Turn of Century, Was Just Small Village; Boat Was Principal Mode of Freight To Those Pioneers Gold Beach, at the turn of this century, is graphically explained by this and does not resemble the county seat of Curry County today. No attempt made to give a history of (»old Beach, for this has been done more ably than ited space of this edition would permit. It is, however, the attempt of this show “how far everyone has come’’ in way of progress in recent years. “photo” is being the lim issue to I here were no roads in those- days just ask any pioneer of the county. I -’reiglit in those days was entirely dependent upon coast wise boats (or ships) as may I k seen in this picture of the “ Roamer’ being unloaded at the mouth of the Rogue. Water played .in important part in the development of early day Brookings, as it will I k attempted to prove elsewhere in this issue. However, when the lumber in dustry w.is closed at Brrxikings in the 20s, nothing was done to expand the economy of this section of Oregon until Highway 101 was completed. It cannot adequately serve the communities of Curry (dunty County trxlay. Waterways must I k studied. II hi/e the Pilot is trying to show something of the progress of this area and of Curry county, the Pilot trying to use material that is available, knowing full well • that this work will not be complete. Tasks of this sort arc great undertakings, even for metropolitan newspapers with all their facilities. The Pilot with its small force cannot be expected to imitate the efjorts expected of a big daily newspaper. I
