10 Interesting Facts About Coos Bay’s 150 Year History

Oregon’s Adventure Coast: Coos Bay, North Bend and Charleston is not only known for its awe-inspiring landscapes but also for its rich history. From its maritime heritage to its pivotal role in Oregon’s timber industry, Coos Bay has significantly shaped the South Coast over the years.

Originally incorporated as Marshfield on October 24, 1874, the city is now celebrating its 150th birthday or Sesquicentennial. To mark this special occasion, there will be a Big Birthday Party at the Coos History Museum and Coos Bay Village on Saturday, October 26th, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. In honor of this milestone, we’ve uncovered some fascinating historical facts, courtesy of the Coos History Museum .

#1) The Area is Steeped in Native American History.

We can’t talk about the history of Coos Bay without acknowledging the thousands of years of Indigenous habitation by the Coquille Indian Tribe , Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians , and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians . Long before European settlers arrived, members of these tribes lived, fished, hunted, and gathered along the southern Oregon coast. Each of these federally recognized tribes is a sovereign nation with its own government and services, while also serving as vital members of the local community. For more information, we recommend this Guide to Tribal Nations, which highlights Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes, including those of Oregon’s Adventure Coast: Coos Bay, North Bend, and Charleston. Copies of the guide are available at the Coos Bay Visitor Center (or click here to download the guide ).

#2) Coos Bay was known as Marshfield until 1944.

In 1853, pioneer James C. Tolman brought his family to what is now Oregon’s Adventure Coast: Coos Bay, North Bend, and Charleston. As one of the first Euro-Americans to claim land and build a cabin on the marshy east side of the bay, Tolman proposed the name Marshfield to honor both the local geography and his Massachusetts hometown. Marshfield remained the city’s name until 1944, when residents narrowly voted to rename it Coos Bay, reflecting the deep-water bay that defines the area. The city expanded in 1965 with the merger of Empire, a central hub for shipping and timber, and again in 1983 with the incorporation of Eastside. These mergers not only increased the city’s size but also unified the surrounding communities, strengthening regional development and solidifying Coos Bay’s status as the largest city on the Oregon Coast.

#3) Coos Bay is the Adopted Hometown of a NASA Astronaut.

Though he never lived or worked in Coos Bay, the town proudly claims NASA astronaut Stuart Roosa as one of its own. Originally from Oklahoma, Roosa began his career as a smokejumper in Oregon’s forests before becoming a NASA test pilot. While training in Central Oregon, he met Coos Bay’s Bob Perkins, who invited him to visit Coos County. Roosa felt welcomed by the local community and enjoyed the abundance of hunting and fishing opportunities in the area. In 1971, during his NASA moon mission, Roosa carried hundreds of Oregon tree seeds into space. Upon his return, he chose Coos Bay as the site for his official hometown ceremonies, which were celebrated with what the local newspaper called “the biggest whoop-tee-do the area has ever seen” and the largest parade in Coos Bay’s history. The seeds he brought back from space, known as “moon trees,” can still be found across Oregon today.

#4) A Fire Devastated Coos Bay’s Once-Thriving Front Street Business District.

Once the vibrant heart of Marshfield, Coos Bay’s Front Street thrived from the mid-1850s to the 1920s, with hotels, stores, City Hall, and various businesses lining its southern end, while the northern end was home to fish packing plants, creameries, and ironworks. In the late 1800s, Marshfield firefighters regularly paraded and drilled on the wooden planks of Front Street, just west of the Coos Bay waterfront. They proudly purchased the most modern fire truck and even hosted a statewide fire chief’s convention in June 1922. But just one month later, their fire truck lay in the mudflats of Coos Bay, as a fire that started in a junk shop jumped over Front Street, engulfing City Hall, the fire department’s dock, and 28 other businesses and homes. In the aftermath, businesses relocated west near the new Highway 101, where they built more fire-resistant structures. Today, though much quieter, Front Street is seeing a revival with new businesses like Front Street Food Trucks and the collaborative space at 999 Front Street. The Coos History Museum invites visitors to explore the rich history of the waterfront through brass plaques and rediscover the area’s potential, as this historic street brings back to life with new dining and business options for both locals and visitors alike.

#5) The Man Known as “The Father of Marshfield” had 16 children.

In 1860, a penniless runaway from New York City named Charles Merchant found work at Asa Simpson’s sawmill in North Bend. He eventually rose through the ranks to manage operations at the E.B. Dean sawmill further up the bay. With his newfound success, Merchant purchased land in the young village of Marshfield, laying out the town that would be incorporated in 1874. Merchant and his wife, Mary, contributed to the town’s growth, raising 16 children. In 1888, he sold land to the Odd Fellows Cemetery Association, which led to the establishment of the Marshfield Pioneer Cemetery, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places . By the time of his death in 1908, Merchant had become one of the largest individual landowners in Coos County, earning him the title “The Father of Marshfield” from the Coos Bay Times.

Source- https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/or-roots/2006-October/010763.html

#6) Coos Bay Had Its Own Chinatown.

Despite widespread national anti-Chinese sentiment, Chinese immigrants arrived in Coos Bay in the late 1800s and were instrumental in the area’s growth. They helped construct the region’s first railroads, worked in gold and coal mining, and worked in fish canneries and lumber camps. Many settled in Marshfield’s “Chinatown,” located near the southern foot of Telegraph Hill, which became home to laundries, markets, restaurants, and living quarters. Among the residents was Gow Why Chan, a respected grocery merchant who helped shape the town’s future by developing real estate and investing in buildings that later became the Chandler and Tioga hotels. By the 1940s, Marshfield’s Chinatown had disappeared, and the remains of Chinese residents in the local cemetery were disinterred and returned to their families in China.

#7) Coos Bay is Home to the Oldest Annual Track Meet in Oregon.

The Coos County Track & Field Meet, the oldest continuously held annual track meet in Oregon, began in 1909, when Marshfield High School’s principal, James Fergusson, inspired by the previous summer’s Olympics, initiated the event. Originally held on a horse racing track in South Marshfield, the meet has since become a cornerstone of the community’s athletic history. Notable athletes, including Olympic thrower John “Jack” Merchant, who graduated from Marshfield in 1917 and competed in the 1920 and 1924 Olympics, got their start at this meet. Merchant set several records and was named the “greatest all-around athlete in the United States” in 1922. The meet moved to Marshfield High School in 1928 and is now held at the Steve Prefontaine Track, named for the international track star and Marshfield graduate. Prefontaine, a key figure in the 1970s American running craze, claimed seven NCAA titles, a fourth-place finish at the 1972 Olympics, and held every American distance running record from 2,000 meters to 10,000 meters before his untimely death in 1975.

#8) Coos Bay is the Hometown of NBA player and Olympic Gold Medalist Mel Counts.

Mel Counts, a 7-foot-tall basketball standout from Marshfield High School, is one of Coos Bay’s most notable athletes. In high school, he led the Marshfield Pirates to two state basketball championships, before continuing his success at Oregon State University, where he earned All-American honors as a junior and senior and helped his team reach the 1963 Final Four. He represented the United States on the Olympic basketball team, winning a gold medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics. Mel enjoyed a long and successful NBA career, winning two world championships with the Boston Celtics and later organizing a pre-season game at Marshfield High School with his Los Angeles Lakers team. In 1982, he was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame, and the main road in Coos Bay’s Eastside district was named the Mel Counts Corridor in his honor.

#9) Coos Bay’s First Public School, City Park, and Library Were Founded by Women

Throughout Coos Bay’s history, forward-thinking women like Esther and Agnes Lockhart played an important role in the community’s development. The Lockhart family arrived in Coos County in 1853, and Esther, a wife and mother, established the area’s first public school in Empire in 1854. In 1891, she became the first president of the Coos County Historical Society, the second oldest historical society in Oregon, and now part of the Coos History Museum . Her daughter, Agnes Lockhart Sengstacken, continued her legacy by co-founding the region’s oldest literary society, the Progress Club, in 1904. A year later, Agnes helped develop Marshfield’s first city park, and in 1914, after securing financial backing from Andrew Carnegie, she founded the Coos Bay Public Library. An accomplished author, Agnes also chronicled her mother’s life in her book Destination West. Today, the Lockhart family’s contributions are commemorated with a street name in Coos Bay, serving as a lasting reminder of their impact on the region.

#10) Coos County was Once a Dry County.

Coos County was once considered a “dry” county, where alcohol was prohibited. In the early 1900’s, the temperance movement gained momentum in Oregon, and counties could vote to ban alcohol sales even before national prohibition (1919-1933). In 1909, temperance was a hotly debated issue in the region. That fall, North Bend invited the fiery preacher “Cyclone” Dan Shannon and his wife to deliver a series of emotional revival meetings against alcohol. Their message resonated so strongly that Marshfield built a special tabernacle the following spring, inviting the Shannons to continue their revival for six weeks. Thousands flocked to hear Shannon’s impassioned sermons against saloons, dance clubs, theaters, and card parlors, leading to hundreds of conversions and significant fundraising for missionary work. By 1914, Coos County residents voted to ban the manufacture and sale of alcohol, and the county remained “dry” for several years until Prohibition was repealed and state regulations took over.

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