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THE DAILY ASTORIAN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2016
HISTORIC
LIFE SAVER
Nickelsen was the
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in Cannon Beach
nesses and generated public support.
Nickelsen lobbied for, and was granted,
assistance during the summers of 1939 and
1940. Nickelsen received $3.00 a day and his
assistants got $2.00 a day.
At roughly 1000-yard intervals along the
By ELAINE TRUCKE
beach, the lifeguards placed coils of line with
Special to The Daily Astorian
an attached life ring. In an emergency, life-
guards swam the rings to endangered swim-
ith the unpredictable Oregon Coast mers, and citizens onshore helped in retriev-
tides and sea of inexperienced sum- ing the lines. During his employ, Nickelsen
mer swimmers, there is often a need DQGKLVDVVLVWDQWVXQGHUWRRNDERXWIRXURU¿YH
for the Cannon Beach lifeguards.
rescues.
While the program now often runs and
Nickelsen set up his post on the beach in
trains in tandem with the Cannon Beach Fire front of the old Ecola Hotel. An enormous tree
Department, it can trace its roots back to down stump had washed ashore and lodged in front of
home beginnings.
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7KH ¿UVW OLIHJXDUG KLUHG LQ &DQQRQ the stump and opened for business.
Beach was Ted Nickelsen in 1938. A
It wasn’t until after World War II that a
wealthy gentleman, W.W. Ross, group of volunteers came together to start the
promoted the lifeguard pro- Commercial Club. Established in 1947, the
gram. Ross, who was an avid &RPPHUFLDO&OXE¶V¿UVWRUGHURIEXVLQHVVZDV
surf bather, swam daily and FUHDWLQJ WKH ORFDO ¿UH GHSDUWPHQW DQG VHWWLQJ
recognized a need for sea- up a structured lifeguard program, among other
sonal lifeguard assistance. things.
Ross placed small contri-
Elaine Trucke is the executive director of the
bution jars in local busi- Cannon Beach History Center and Museum.
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
W
Courtesy of Cannon Beach History Center and Museum
Ted Nickelsen, lifeguard.
?
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