First it was a fishing settlement. Then a farming and camping area. And now today, a vibrant community on the rural Oregon Coast. The evolution of Neskowin is captured through historic photos in The Neskowin Historical Foundation’s first ever book: “Neskowin: A Book of Found Photos 1880-1970.”
The 300+ page, hardback coffee table book takes readers on a visual journey through time featuring photographs of the area’s iconic landscapes such as Proposal Rock and the mysterious Ghost Forest, as well as portraits of the town’s pioneering families.
“We wanted to have a different approach [than a history book],” Neskowin Historical Foundation member Michael Schlicting said. “We wanted to create an artbook with a different style that was photo-driven, and the captions would give the context and the history. Each chapter opens with a synopsis. The ‘fun’ was the act of discovery, pulling on threads, and seeing the tapestry unfold in front of us of how Neskwoin came to be what it is.”
The book was primarily researched and compiled by the founding members of the Neskowin Historical Foundation: Jim Affolter, Cameron Nagel, Cathy Benneth, Steve Beckham, Jody Stager, and Schlicting. A call for photos was put out to the community, which brought forth rare, “found” photos and history that had never been documented.
“The interesting thing that we found was that Neskowin became a farming community and a beach resort from day one,” Schlicting said. “People came from the valley in 1880 to camp for the summer and have clambakes and dances. We found newspaper articles and first-person accounts which gives a richness to these photos.”
The book’s cover photo features a young woman, book in hand, gazing at Proposal Rock. It was an image that stood out to the Neskowin Historical Foundation members.
“We wanted the cover photo to be one of the early photos,” Schlicting said. “We found this one to be compelling and a story visual. We kept coming back to it.”
Love a particular image? The Neskwoin Historical Foundation can assist with individual prints of photographs including a brief historical description of the image, so readers can curate their own collection of Neskwoin memories.
A book release open house will be hosted at Hawk Creek Gallery on Saturday, October 11 from 11 am – 5 pm. The event will have copies of “Neskowin: A Book of Found Photos 1880-1970” for sale as well as Neskowin Historical Foundation swag available for purchase.
“It’s going to be a beautiful book from a visual standpoint,” Schlicting said. “If you’re a history buff or have an interest in how the coast was developed, I think it will be an attractive book.”
More information about ordering and shipping can be found at NeskowinHistoricalFoundation.org.







