Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum

01/03/2025

We would like to thank Carol Newman and KMUN for interviewing Nhatt Nichols about her show, "The Willapa Oyster & Its Environs,” at the museum. Just follow the link here.

https://kmun.org/podcast/arts-live-local-november-8th-2024-2/

CPHM is open Wednesday - Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm.
Admission is FREE, thanks to the Port of Ilwaco and our Rising Tide Members.

Friday, November 8th at 3pm ARTS – Live & Local! Carol Newman & guests: Multi-disciplinary Artist Nhatt Nichols with “The Willapa Oyster & Its Environs” graphic story at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum in Ilwaco, WA. Renee Fruiht, Jimmy Mandes & Alex Cantrell with the CCC Ceramic Student ...

01/02/2025

A Big"Thank You" to the Rural Assembly for sponsoring this exhibit.

CPHM is open Wednesday - Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm.
Admission is FREE, thanks to the Port of Ilwaco and our Rising Tide Members.

01/01/2025

Happy New Year!

The Museum is closed today and will reopen tomorrow at 10 am.

CPHM Williams Post Card Collection: A Happy New Year, kittens in a basket of flowers, 1903.

CPHM is open Wednesday - Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm.
Admission is FREE, thanks to the Port of Ilwaco and our Rising Tide Members.

12/31/2024

Happy New Year's Eve!

The Museum is closed today and tomorrow, but we will return to our normal schedule on Thursday, January 2nd at 10 am.

CPHM Photo Collection: New Year’s Gathering 1896
L-R: Ernest Seaborg, ? Horn – built Seaborg’s brick store (now know as the Doupé building), Walter Seaborg (back), Dare Miller – brother of Mrs. Shobie (front), A.E. King, Norman Mars, Astor Seaborg.

CPHM is open Wednesday - Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm.
Admission is FREE, thanks to the Port of Ilwaco and our Rising Tide Members.

12/27/2024

From The Ilwaco Tribune, “Hall of Fame” December 23, 1921

“The father of Long Beach,” is a pretty big sounding title since that place is beginning to put on metropolitan airs, like electing a mayor, etc., but such is the title to which Mr. H. H. Tinker is rightfully entitled. We select Mr. Tinker for a place in our Hall of Fame this week and it is certainly a pleasure to write this little complimentary sketch about him.
Mr. Tinker is a native of Maine – a regular full-fledged Yankee – now past 82 years of age, and is hale and hearty and enjoys life today with the spirit of a man 40 or less. He came to the North Beach in 1881 when there was no settlement along the beach beyond the old Stout hotel until you got well up near Oysterville. When he came west he first settled in Columbia County, Oregon. One day he ventured down here and stopped at the Stout hotel. There he was informed that he could buy the property where Long Beach now stands. Seeking out the owner Mr. Tinker rendered him a twenty dollar piece as an evidence of good faith – and from that time on Long Beach began to grow.
At that time a great many people from East Portland were in the habit of stopping at The Willows. Mr. Tinker induced most of these people to come to his place. He built a hotel and laid out his town and proceeded to put the great North Beach on the map.
In those days it was necessary to travel over the old road from Ilwaco, where the boat landed, and Mr. Tinker carried his guests out to Long Beach in a wagon and often times ran on to Oysterville, where the boats landed from the Willapa.
When asked what kind of town Ilwaco was in those days, Mr. Tinker smiled and remarked: “A Cracker Jack.” And from the answer we will allow you to draw your own conclusions.
Mr. Tinker dreamed of a second Bar Harbor when he began working on his new townsite and while that dream is yet far away, his spirit is none the less dim with the passing years and he hopes that it will yet come true.
His whole life has been spent with but one thought – doing things for Long Beach. He donated land for their school – for their church and for their depot. He has always headed every list and subscription for the place. He has supported every move and today he is just as ready to boost and work as he was 41 years ago when he first acquired the townsite.
Mr. Tinker is held in high respect by every citizen in the town and this week when they held their first municipal caucus a complimentary vote was extended him as first mayor of the town. He had refused to accept the actual nomination owing to his advanced age, and his son Gilbert Tinker, was nominated instead.
Building Long Beach in the early days became his life’s work – and now, when Time is laying its heavy hand upon his shoulder it has become his hobby – a thing that helps to pass the time away – to make him forget the unpleasant realities of life and to keep from his mind the fact that he must soon give up his dream and he, himself, become a part of the history he has helped to make."

CPHM Fitzpatrick Photo Collection: Henry Harrison and Nancy (Bryant) Tinker and their dog.

CPHM is open Wednesday - Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm.
Admission is FREE, thanks to the Port of Ilwaco and our Rising Tide Members.

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas from all of us at
the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum.

We are closed today and tomorrow.
We will reopen on Friday at 10 am.

CPHM Kayler Post Card Collection: Merry Christmas, 1914.

12/24/2024

It's that time of year!
We will be Closed on December 25, 26, and January 1.
We will be Open on Friday and Saturday, December 27 and 28, 10-4.

12/21/2024

Hello Winter!
Yes, today is the Winter Solstice, we'll leave the light on for you.

CPHM PHOTO 'NEIL Post Card Collection: Cape Disappointment in Winter and Cape Light taken from "The North Jetty" at the mouth of the Columbia River. Undated

CPHM is open Wednesday - Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm.
Admission is FREE, thanks to the Port of Ilwaco and our Rising Tide Members.

12/18/2024

Still looking for gift ideas?
The Museum Shop supports local authors and artists.
We have a variety of prints available by watercolor master Charles Mulvey (1918-2001), Debbi Littlefield, and .
Quilts by Karen Snyder, Woodwork by Richard Schroeder, Ceramics by , , Scyretta Hawkey, and Jewelry by Sandra Lill.
We also have , , apparel, books and so much more!
The Peninsula History Primer Pack is just $50 ($75 value) and includes Volumes 1 & 2 of Observing our Peninsula’s Past, Coast Country: A History of SW Washington, and a CPHM Daffodil Tote Bag to carry it all in.
We have Gift Certificates and Museum Memberships available if you can't decide.

CPHM is open Wednesday - Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm.
Admission is FREE, thanks to the Port of Ilwaco and our Rising Tide Members.

12/17/2024

From The Ilwaco Tribune, “Hall of Fame” December 16, 1921

“Owing to the stress of other business the hall of fame has been omitted for two weeks, but this week we take pleasure in present – Perry R. Hill, chief weather dispenser for Uncle Sam of North Head. We know very little regarding intimate facts in/conjunction with Mr. Hill’s service with the government and his life on the North Beach- but we do know that he is The Tribune’s infallible source for weather information, Mr. Hill may get his wires crossed once in a while and send us something that is not to our liking – but taking it all the year round – he averages up pretty well and manages to give the North Beach Peninsula a very enjoyable climate.
Of course we do not charge him with all things that came along – for instance the big windstorm of January 29th, last. That we believe was put over by Seaside of some other rival resort who wanted to put us out of business. And at times Astoria will try to repudiate some of Mr. Hill’s weather, but generally it is very acceptable to all.
Mr. Hill is one of the very few governmental employees who feel it is their duty to be courteous to the public – and he is always cheerfully gives out any information he may have. In the summer months he has the usual string of summer people to show through the weather bureau station – and none come away with criticism or complaints as to their treatment at the hands of Mr. Hill.
Men like him make it possible for our government to function as it should – representative of all the people. It is his kind that make possible the hundreds of little government stations – whether weather bureaus or not – that are scattered over the land, dispensing information and giving service to the thousands of loyal citizens who still believe that the principles for which their forefathers fought have not been entirely lost to us."

CPHM Photo Collection: Aerial View of the North Head Lighthouse and Weather Bureau from the Telegraph Tower.

CPHM is open Wednesday - Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm.
Admission is FREE, thanks to the Port of Ilwaco and our Rising Tide Members.

12/14/2024

It's Saturday, December 14th, Today's the Day!

The Tuba Christmas Concert, featuring the Astoria Tuba Quartet, starts at 2 p.m., and doors open at 10 a.m. At this family-friendly event, they will perform a variety of seasonal selections, jazz arrangements, and a polka or two.
Author Lynette McAdams will open with a reading of "A Coastal Christmas."
The Tuba Christmas concert is FREE and open to the public.
Seating is limited and no reservations are taken for this event.
Light refreshments will be available. The Museum Shop will be open, with plenty of gift ideas, including Museum Memberships and Gift Certificates!
Thank you Discover Ilwaco for sponsoring this event.

12/13/2024

Remember to join us tomorrow, Saturday, December 14, at 2 p.m. Doors open at 10 a.m.
Come early and support local artisans and authors, whose wares are available in our Museum Shop. We also have Gift Certificates and Museum Memberships available for those hard-to-buy-for friends and family!

12/12/2024

The perfect gift for a new neighbor or those just digging into our local history!
The Peninsula History Primer Pack includes two volumes of "Observing our Peninsula's Past," "Coast Country," and a Museum daffodil tote, a $75.00 value on Sale now for $50.00!

For the person on your list who has everything or is so hard to buy for, we also have Gift Certificates, and Museum Memberships available at various support levels.

CPHM is open Wednesday - Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm.
Admission is FREE, thanks to the Port of Ilwaco and our Rising Tide Members.

12/10/2024

Recipes from the Collection
“Cookies” Pacific Chapter No.129 Order of Eastern Star
1969 Cook Book, as written.

Ginger Cookies by Julia Williams
1 C shortening
1 C sugar
1 C light molasses
2 Tbsp. ginger
2 tsp. soda in 2 Tbsp. water
4 C flour
1 tsp. cinnamon

Roll in small balls and flatten with glass dipped in sugar.
Bake at 375˚ for 10 to 12 minutes.

Julia H***e and John (Jack) Williams were married in Seaview in 1921, they were married for 65 years. They owned and operated the Sunset Theater (where the Long Beach Pharmacy is today) in Long Beach and the Ilwaco Theater (The Sea Hag Tavern) in Ilwaco from 1926 to 1963.

CPHM Fitzpatrick Photo Collection: The Sunset Theater in Long Beach in 1934. Jack Williams is to the left of the box office.

CPHM is open Wednesday - Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm.
Admission is FREE, thanks to the Port of Ilwaco and our Rising Tide Members.

12/07/2024

Bree is a watercolor artist and natural dyer living on the Long Beach Peninsula. She finds inspiration in the wonderful wilds of the Pacific Northwest, under leaves, behind trees, and in the tangle of mosses and lichens. She dyes her silks using a non-toxic process with plants she grows in her garden or harvests sustainably as windfall in the forest around her home.
You can always find her work and the work of other local artists in the Museum's Gift Shop, but today, Saturday, December 7th, you can find her at the Adrift Hotel Holiday Market from 11-3 pm.

CPHM is open Wednesday - Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm.
Admission is FREE, thanks to the Port of Ilwaco and our Rising Tide Members.

12/06/2024

Save the Date for Tuba Christmas! Saturday, December 14, 2 pm. Doors open at 10 am.