COQUILLE VALLEY MUSEUM SPECTACULAR
Tool
(Continued from page 10)
owner of the ranch where he had
worked in California. The rancher
had purchased land southwest of
Coquille, known as Russ Estates. He
worked that position for ten years
before returning to carpentry.
Peterson met and married his
wife, the former Helen Laird, and
inherited many of her father’s
woodworking tools. Family trips
always netted a few more tools for
the collection. Peterson’s son also
added to his father’s collection
when he came upon a toll he
thought his father would like.
According to Stone, Peterson
was an excellent carpenter.
“He built my kitchen cabinets
when three other professional cabi­
net makers refused to build them
the way I wanted,” Stone wrote of
Peterson.
Stone wanted the multiple flush
doors and drawer fronts made from
a single piece of wood so the grain
patterns would be intact when the
drawers were closed.
“Lee didn’t hesitate taking the
job, but he did mention if he ruined
one drawer front on a stack of five
I A SENTINEL PUBLICATION^ page 12
drawer fronts, one above the other,
he would ruin them all,” Stone
wrote. “That’s right, I said. So you
had better not ruin a drawer front.
He didn’t and with perfectly
mitered corners I had cabinets that
rivaled the finest furniture.”
According to Strain, the tool col­
lection is popular.
“I’m just amazed at the people
that have come in and then bring
things,” she said.
Plane dollars
One of two plow planes from the Lee
Peterson tool collection. In 1989, the
City of Coquille and the Port of
Bandon purchased the collection for
$7,500. That same year this plane
was valued at $8,000.
PHOTO-Robert Jump
• HEATING SYSTEMS • AIR CONDITIONING • REFRIGERATION •
SHEET METAL, INC.
586 HWY 42 E. - BOX 749, COQUILLE
Proven ability for over 75 years...
Adolph Isler came to Portland from Switzerland when he was 16 years
old. He soon decided Coos County was the area for him and, with wife
Highway
(Continued from page 6)
“A rowboat was all I ever had and
it was way back in high school,” he
said. “They use to saw their logs off,
and they called them lily pads, and
they would float them.They were
corralled in the river. My cousin and
I, we’d get our winter wood. I had a
14-foot rowboat and it was a dandy.
I mean it really was nice. It just rode
nice. It was made out of redwood
and my dad built it.”
Without outboard motors and
the like, the tide had to be right,
according to Stone.
“The idea would be to go down
with it,” Stone said. “We’d have to go
back with it because we’d tie about
six of those lily pads on the back of
the boat, then both of us would row
one, on each oar. I remember one
time we got right down to this turn
where that square comer is and there
was a boat with a raft of logs. We got
cornered in there and he shoved us
“They used to saw
their logs off, and
they called them
lily pads, and they
would float them.”
clear up into the alders.They seen us.
Art said they didn’t have to do that,
they did that to us on purpose. All
they would have to do is cut the
power and the logs would have went
on the outside of us. Its little things
like that that you learn.”
According to Stone, the river’s
role as a highway ended shortly
after 1926, when Coos County
roads were paved and it became
more cost effective for freight to
move by motor vehicle.
Those interested can read more
of Boyd Stone’s tales of the Coquille
River in his book “Living in the Past
Lane”, which is available at the
Coquille Valley Museum.
We’re Open to Everyone in Our Community!
Oregon First has been providing banking services to Oregon residents since 1957. The Credit Union
was chartered when twelve school employees from the south coast each deposited five dollars to
form Coos Curry Teachers Federal Credit Union, now Oregon first Community Credit Union. In addition
to the main office located in Coquille, Oregon they have the largest credit union branch network in
Oregon with seventeen additional banking centers located in the foltowtog communities: Myrtle
Point, Bandon, Coos Bay, North Bend, Lakeside, Reedsport, Florence, Roseburg, Sutherlin, Dallas,
Monmouth, McMinnville, Newberg, Hillsboro, Fairview, The Dalles and Ridgefield, WA.
Oregon First is open to everyone in the community. We offer
a full array of financial products and services to consumers
and small businesses; delivered by local professionals and
through convenient technology. You canlearn more about
Oregon First online at www.oregtmfiKtcai.org.
851 N Central, Coquille
541.396.2145
oregonfirstccu.org
Lena, came to Coquille in 1929. He opened his sheet metal shop that year
near the post office. He soon needed a larger place and built behind
Safeway. When the highway widened, his building was demolished. Isler
This publication brought to you by:
sold to Clyde and Lonnie Clark in 1958, who built at the present loca­
tion. They sold to Ed Howe who in turn sold to Bob Hutchinson in 1975.
In 2003, the business was purchased by Jack Hollen, who has added to
Coquille Sheet Metal services to include custom kitchen work. Creating
entitle!
stainless, copper and brass counter tops and range hoods for residen­
tial and commercial uses, the company provides sales and service to all
of Southwestern Oregon.
Anna Chavez
GENERAL SHEET METAL,
AIR CONDITIONING,
REFRIGERATION,
COMMERCIAL KITCHENS &
EQUIPMENT,
STAINLESS STEEL
COUNTERTOPS
HEATING, AND
METAL ROOFING
CCB#157138 FAX: 396-2731 PHONE:
PO Box 400, Coquille, OR 97423
(541) 396-3191
Editor/Graphic Design
Mike Chavez
Publisher
The Sentinel staff and freelance writers have
collected the information that was used to cre­
ate this production.
This project was done in an effort to help sup­
port and promote the growing Coquille Valley
Museum and the work completed by the
Coquille Historical Society. The purchase price
of this collector’s publication will go to the
museum for continued maintenance, display
production, and operations. Additional copies
of this History Spectacular can be purchased at
The Sentinel offices (#1 Barton’s Alley), at the
Coquille Valley Museum (153 N. Central), or by
contacting the Coquille Historical Society
President Bob Taylor at 396-2773.
Diane Schaffer
Office Assistant
Robert Jump
Staff Reporter
Jake Wilhelm
Freelance Writer
541-396-3221
Brittani Wolfe
Typist/Editor’s Assistant
A special thank you goes to the businesses that
chose to advertise within this publication.
Their financial support, helped to cover the
cost of layout, printing, and distribution, making
this project possible.
The Sentinel is locally owned and
operated by Mikel and Anna Chavez.