Page 2 ~ Sentinel’s 120th anniversary issue ~ September 2002
The birth of a city... 1860-1896
This publication brought to you by:
(Editor & Note: the historical
review in this publication was compiled
primarily through a time-consuming
review of past issues of Coquille news
papers. Some volumes have been lost
through the years, so readers will notice
that there is no information for some
years. Coquille’s first newspaper was
printed in 1882; information on years
prior to that was taken from other his
torical sources — as was information
for some years for which we have no
surviving issues of the paper.)
Sentinel
Janet Richardson
Publisher/Editor
Shauna Desjardins
Office Manager
Doris Hutchinson
Receptionist
Compiled by:
Amanda Evrard, Edward Wolfe
and Janet Richardson
Garnet Stewart
Graphic Designer
Edward Wolfe
Reporter
Serving Coos County
for 120 years!
~ 1882 to 2002 -
1873
Daily mail route established from
Roseburg to Bay Area along a just-
completed wagon road.
1877
Dr. S. L. Leneve moves to Coquille
City and builds the first drug store.
1880
Coquille area population now 176,
Myrtle Point records 52 residents,
county now totals 4,834.
River Bank opens its doors as city’s
first banking institution.
1890
Coquille boasts 494 in census, with
Myrtle Point now recording 354, and
the county now totals 8,874. The
Riverton post office was established.
The Middle Fork Road “has some fear
ful slides,” according to the Feb. 11
issue of the paper. The Coquille River
was blocked by “an immense amount
of driftwood in the shape of huge fur
and cedar trees.”
1881
New Coquille school holds 82 students
in all grades.
1860
1882
Population of Coquille area is 94; total
of 445 in Coos County.
Coquille City Herald, later to consoli
dated with a competitor to become The
Coquille Valley Sentinel, builds a
building and publishes city’s first real
newspaper.
1862
First Homestead Act was passed.
1892
Fire destroys many Coquille businesses
and homes.
1893
Railroad joins Coquille with the bay
area; a train rumbles down Front Street
for the first time.
1894
Introduction
The Coquille Valley Sentinel
staff have prepared this historical
section to commemorate the
paper’s 120th anniversary this
month (Sept. 2002). We hope you
enjoy this publication!
1864
1884
Several families start for Coquille with
news of gold discoveries locally.
Pioneer attorney Walter Sinclair hangs
out his shingle.
1865
1885
First National Bank was organized.
Coquille City was incorporated under
the name of Coquille.
1867
Comment
A school is built on Cunningham
Creek, soon over-crowded and too far
from town.
Much of history is lost over
time. We’ve done our best to pro
vide the most accurate information
we could find. As you read the
centerfold information about the
newspaper’s early years, please
note that another newspaper, The
Coquille City Bulletin, was also in
publication at the turn of the centu
ry. It began in 1894 and continued
at least until 1902. Owners includ
ed J.J. Stanley, E.C. Holland and
Eickworth & Co. It is not clear what
became of that newspaper.
1870,
1888
Coquille precinct population swells to
127, county total climbs to 1,644.
Coquille post office established with
Titus B. Willard as its first postmaster.
A record cold winter freezes the
Coquille River, stopping all riverboat
travel. Coast to Coast was established
by John Kronenberg and wife on Front
Street. Also that year, the Masonic Hall
was completed.
1871
John Mounton, whose dad worked the
Lane mine at Whiskey Run, moved to
Coquille City and bought a small store
from T. W. Vowell.
Cover photos
1872
All photos on the cover are
part of The Sentinel’s collection of
early Coquille photographs.
1887
The Lorenz department store was
founded in Coquille.
Nosier families arrive and build first
frame buildings in Coquille including
the city’s first school.
One issue of the Coquille City Herald
published an alert about train robberies.
It states that on October 12, a train was
robbed of a considerable amount in
Sacramento, California. Another train
was robbed the next day in Maryland of
near $200,000. There had been “a lull
in such business for quite some time
and a hope that it was at an end.”
1895
New school built on site of present
Washington School. J. H. Timon and
Wesley Bean shipped the first coal to
San Francisco. Coquille organized a
volunteer fire department and bought
chemical carts (see article on the fire
department, page 9).
1896
1889
Telegraph communication completed
between Coquille and Empire. Mrs.
Ham (Em) Pierce was bom and rode
the first horseless carriage that came to
Coquille. A gold miner named Glen
Aiken was paid $50 by the sheriff to
hang a man named Gillman. Coquille
Coquille becomes the county seat of
Coos County by vote, ending a 20-year-
long move by Marshfielders to relocate
the county seat to their town from
Empire City, where it had been since
1853. The Coquille City Herald featured
the Union Labor Column “Devoted to
the Interests of the Laborer.”
Just as Coquille has changed since 1916, so has Farr’s True Value Hardware. Leaving office of Coos County
Agricultural Agent to seek his fortune, Chester C. Farr bought in with Cecil J. Elwood on January 1, 1916 to oper-
ate the Collier Warehouse. They operated a feed and seed store as well as sorted way-freight for the Southern
Pacific to be transferred onto Coquille river boats for delivery throughout the valley. Once the road to Bandon was
/
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completed and the Coquille river bridge was built in 1924, they operated trucks to deliver the freight directly to
**
Bandon, Bear Creek and Parkersburg. Milk from the Bear Creek area was also delivered to the cheese factory
“Help Is Just Around The Corner” near Coquille. It wasn’t until 1932 with membership in Northern Wholesale Hardware of Portland that hardware
was added to the seed and freight business. The business also moved then to it’s current location at Second and
Central. With the accidental death of Cecil J. Elwood in 1941 and the sale of the heir’s interest in the business, Chester Farr brought his sons, Donald and Leonard, into
the business as partners. They operated the business as a hardware store since that time, becoming affiliated with True Value Hardware in 1970. Incorporated in 1975 to
allow more family members an opportunity to participate in the business, the fourth generation of Farr’s has wet it’s feet in the local business scene working summers and
after school at the Coquille store. A complete remodeling of both interior and exterior of the Coquille store in 1991 has brought Farr’s
racing into the next millennium with the latest technology to match the community’s needs. Although customers reminisce about the
old store, they appreciate the service capability of the new facility. So, although Farr’s True Value Hardware is one of the oldest busi
nesses in the area, it is also one
of the best prepared to face the
challenges of the next century.
jrBL
(541) 396-3161
220 N. Central - Coquille
~
Mary Woolley
Chris Liga
Karmen Albertson
Bette Backman
Patrick Horath