6A | WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018 | SIUSLAW NEWS
125th from page 1A
The museum also has a
whole list of “firsts” in Flor-
ence listed on its website, www.
siuslawpioneermuseum.com,
in the “From the Past” section.
“Why not let our light shine?
Hidden lights are a waste of
material!” The West reported.
“The West has always been a
leader in the fight for Flor-
ence.”
In February 1893, a bill to in-
corporate Florence, proposed
by Sen. B. F. Alley, passed the
house and awaited the gover-
nor’s signature. Florence was
incorporated in May 1893.
The City of Florence has
claimed several mottos in re-
cent years, including “A City in
Motion” and “Oregon’s Coastal
Playground.” A little fun will
come out this Friday evening
with the city’s first Bay Street
Block Party.
“This is to celebrate 125
years as a city, from 1893 to
2018,” city intern Claire Wag-
goner said. “That’s a long time.”
The party will run from 5:30
to 9 p.m. on July 27, and involve
a one-block street closure on
Bay Street from Laurel Street
west toward the Siuslaw River
Bridge. The parking lots along
the bridge will still be open for
residents, business patrons and
guests to the event.
“We want to make sure that
the permanent businesses,
to the best of our ability, are
able to maintain their traffic,”
Weese reported.
In addition, the city wants
people to visit all of the Histor-
ic Old Town, not just remain
on Bay Street near the Siuslaw
River Bridge Interpretive Cen-
ter.
“We are having a Historic
HAZARD from page 1A
OPRD Deputy Director
MG Devereux said the ban is
meant to avoid any accidental
fires on OPRD property that
would further tax limited fire-
fighting resources.
“We understand this is an
inconvenience for campers,
especially those who might
not see the immediate need
for local fire restrictions,” said
Devereux. “We appreciate the
public’s patience and their
willingness to help protect our
SIUSLAW NEWS FILE PHOTO
Florence has come a long way since Maple Street in Historic Old Town looked like this in
the 1920s. Get out and explore some of the area’s history during the 125th Anniversary
Block Party this Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. on Bay Street.
Scavenger Hunt,” Waggon-
er said. “People can go all
throughout Old Town to read
the plaques that talk about the
different historic buildings
in Old town, which will help
draw people not just to the
area of the street closure, but
all throughout the district.”
Waggoner and City Project
Manager Megan Messmer pin-
pointed the scavenger hunt as
a way to encourage people to
visit the many businesses that
will remain open late during
the block party.
They also met with several
business owners, landlords and
residents to talk about specific
concerns about the closure.
“We are not allowing ven-
dors in the street closure,”
Waggoner said. “Nothing will
be sold, and there will not be
a beer garden. The only thing
food-related we will be giving
away is the one scoop of BJ’s
Ice Cream.”
natural areas.”
The fire ban applies to
wood, charcoal and other
flame sources that cannot be
turned off with a valve. Liquid
fuel stoves or cooking devices
that can be turned off with a
valve are permitted but cannot
be left unattended.
Visitors planning a trip to a
state park should check for up-
to-date information about fire
restrictions by calling the state
park information line at 800-
551-6949.
When Councilor Joshua
Greene asked if there was an
age limit on the free ice cream,
City Manager Erin Reynolds
joked, “125.”
More than just ice cream will
draw people to the event.
Waggoner said the event was
planned to be multi-genera-
tional, with several activities
planned to engage youth and
families. This includes a vari-
ety of games, rock painting and
the BeauxBooth photo booth, a
production of BeauxArts Fine
Art Materials, the Florence
Events Center Gallery Com-
mittee and the Siuslaw Vision
2025.
Live entertainment will also
come from the Pressure Point
Band, based in Portland, Ore.
“They play multi-genera-
tional classic rock mixed with
more current pop songs,” Wag-
goner said. “It’s a good way
to reach out to all generations
coming to this event.”
Other participants in the
Block Party will be booths
from local organizations, in-
cluding Siuslaw Valley Fire and
Rescue, the Florence Police
Department, Florence Public
Works and U.S. Coast Guard
Station Siuslaw River.
“The Coast Guard is a very
important piece of our com-
munity, considering we are a
Coast Guard City,” Waggoner
said. “We’ll also have the Siu-
slaw Pioneer Museum, which
is very appropriate, consider-
ing this is a celebration of our
anniversary as a city.”
The Block Party will require
the street to be closed begin-
ning at 2 p.m. and ending at
9:30 p.m., as there is some set
up involved. This includes a
stage for the live entertain-
ment, bleachers and extra seat-
ing. However, the city did give
notice to residents and busi-
ness owners about the closure
and made sure to accommo-
date any stated needs.
According to Reynolds, “We
do have the beautiful aspect
of our Old Town, where it is a
live-work environment. Many
communities covet the fact that
we have so many above-store
residential living units. This is
one time when there is going
to be a little bit of conflict for
parking and things. The street
closure does allow for those
residents to still park in that
alleyway behind Bridgewater
and Books & Bears, and in that
parking lot.”
People who still feel like they
have concerns can contact the
city at ci.florence.or.us.
“I personally think this will
drive a larger crowd to Old
Town than a typical Friday
night, especially considering
the Oregon Mayor’s Confer-
ence is in town the same week-
end,” Waggoner said. “We are
expecting about 70 mayors and
their spouses to be here, and
this is on their schedule for the
evening.”
The organizers hope that the
scavenger hunt will allow peo-
ple to connect with the history
of the area, especially as some
buildings predate the city’s
incorporation. The hunt will
lead people up Maple Street to
the Siuslaw Pioneer Museum,
past the bridge to the Edwin K.
Bed & Breakfast and up Laurel
Street — all over the Old Town
district.
Messmer said the scavenger
hunt will not be easy, but the
prize could make it worth it.
“The Block Party does cor-
relate with the mayor’s confer-
ence, and it is our high season,”
she said. “We do want visitors
to be there, too. We’re encour-
aging everybody to come out
on a Friday night … to enjoy
our community and tie into
our history.”
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Siuslaw River in town.
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