Communities and Neighborhoods
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Community identity is one of the most significant sources of social capital within the project area.
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Ideally, community is what links residents to a geographic location,as well as to a common set of experiences.
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Maintaining community social capital has become increasingly difficult in the project area as immigration and work patterns have expanded and traditional links have broken.
Jon Souder – Coos Watershed Association
Summary:
Introduction
Humans have always organized themselves into communities. Originated as extended family groupings, communities evolved into groupings around common belief systems, locations to provide services to travelers, and as a result of place-based employment. Today, communities are increasingly fractionalized into groups of people with similar interests and outlooks, and through improved communication networks, these communities have expanded beyond a local or regional focus. Integral to the idea of community is the identity that aggregates individuals into the group; having a common identify should allow group decisions to be made more expeditiously with a higher likelihood of continuity over time.
Our coverage will distinguish among different levels of communities, focusing on geographic connections within the Partnership project area. This is an arbitrary choice, given that community identity could originate from larger realms (the United States, Pacific Northwest, Oregon, or the Southern Oregon Coast). However, focusing on the project area should
allow for greater depth in analysis, discussion, and linkage to other chapters. In this context, we will distinguish between “communities” and “neighborhoods”:
Communities are outlying populated areas surrounded by forests and fields.
Neighborhoods exist as sub-divisions within urbanized areas, generally within incorporated cities or adjacent to them.
These—and others—can be considered “communities” in the social sense, but there are different levels of government between communities and neighborhoods in the geographic context. More recently, there are social
media “communities” that are not necessarily place-based, but are interest-based. There are many of these in the project area, but are too transitory to be addressed here.
Superimposed upon the social considerations of “community” is a hierarchy of governmental units with varying effects. Under the system of government in the United States, laws and regulations established at higher levels of government usually provide an umbrella over those at lower levels.
Figure 1 (left) shows this hierarchy, with particular emphasis on those at the county level and finer. We will focus in this Chapter on those that define “community” in the governmental sense; however, these levels of government will play important roles in subsequent Chapters and discussions.
Settlement in the Coos Bay region—whether by Native Americans or Anglo-Americans— was usually situated based on access to resources and travel patterns. Native American villages where commonly established around Coos Bay in the vicinity of stream mouths and other locations that had easy access to fish and shellfish and game. Similarly, when Anglo-American settlement began in the mid-19th Century, communities were first located
adjacent to convenient ocean-based transportation (i.e., Empire), and subsequently often grew around sites where modes of transportation changed, such as Allegany and Sumner, where overland wagon roads ended at the
heads-of-tide and passengers switched to boats to continue their journey (or vice-versa).
Communities also grew up around logging camps, especially when families began to arrive with their need for schools, churches, and post offices. Figure 2 shows the majority of the distinct populated communities within the project area, including those from early settlement that have subsequently died out.
As transportation networks expanded and changed, a community’s importance and size also changed. For example, the end of the Coos Bay Wagon Road from Roseburg was originally Sumner, where passengers transferred to boat to continue on to Marshfield (Coos Bay); and because of this, hotels,
restaurants, and bathhouses were built there to serve travelers. When the road was continued to Coos City, access to Marshfield through Isthmus Slough proved quicker and the need for services in Sumner died. Subsequently, once a ferry was installed at Coos City (and later a bridge) to meet the railroad and highway, passengers continued on to Marshfield, and Coos City became a ghost town.
Some communities continued to expand and develop because they were adjacent to logging camps. Allegany provides perhaps the best example of this: in the late 1890s and through the early decades of the 20th Century, timber along Marlow Creek was being logged. A logging camp at the mouth of Marlow Creek supported the community of Allegany, which was also a turnaround for
boat traffic and a transfer site to the wagon road to Scottsburg. As logging in Marlow Creek died out, Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. began to access its timber in the East Fork Millicoma basin and established its logging camp on the other side of the Millicoma River.
As transportation improved, residents in outlying communities could more easily access better schools and work opportunities in the cities of Coos Bay and North Bend, thus leading to the closure of many community institutions (schools and post offices) as residents began commuting to the larger cities rather than living and working locally. Currently, commutes from outlying communities are relatively short compared to state-wide averages and big cities (see Table 1).
Community Descriptions
Contemporary communities shown in the map on Figure 2 have all evolved over time, but their identity is often based on their origin and events that have occurred in the past. Knowing these origin stories is important in
understanding community identity. Short descriptions of these communities are based on Oregon Geographic Names, A Century of Coos and Curry Counties, and the Coos County Comprehensive Plan, and descriptions provided by Brooke Yussim of Oregon Bay Properties, LLC. Full citations are provided at the end of this chapter.
Allegany:
Originally called “The Forks” because of its location at the confluence of the East and West Forks of the Millicoma River (also called the North Fork of the Coos River), the Allegany Post Office was established in 1893, and remains open with its own ZIP code
(97407) (Figure 3). There is a store, a church, and a few residences. Currently, the old Allegany School serves as a community center, and there is an active group of supporters in the Allegany Parks and Recreation District and a community newsletter, “Millicoma Ripples.” Allegany provides access to the southern end of the Elliott State Forest, Golden and Silver Falls State Park, and Nesika County Park, as well as to the north end of Weyerhaeuser Timber Company’s Millicoma Tree Farm. This community is primarily a Rural Service Center with very few residences. Zoning is Rural Center (RC), with some surrounding areas as RR-2 and the remainder Agriculture and Forestry. (CCCP) There are more extensive residential developments along the West Fork Millicoma Road and the Coos River Highway
above Allegany on the East Fork Millicoma River and Glenn Creek.
Barview:
Most likely named for its location opposite the opening of Coos Bay into the Pacific Ocean. Barview is a long, linear community that has developed on the southeast side and adjacent to the lower end of Coos Bay. It is primarily residential with a small amount of
commercial use scattered along Cape Arago State Highway. Residential uses are a mixture of nice quality homes west of the highway and sited on the bay, smaller homes on very small lots, and manufactured homes and recreational vehicle parks. There are also a few very nice historic homes throughout the area. Barview is a Census Designated Place (CDP) for reporting purposes (Figure 4A). Most of the community is zoned Urban Residential-2 (UR-2); residences west of the highway are all zoned Urban Residential-1 (UR-1), and there is a small area zoned Urban Residential-Multi Family (UR-M). Two small areas are zoned for controlled, commercial development on five acre lots (CD-5).
Bunker Hill:
Named as a result of the coal bunkers nearby, principally on the east on Isthmus Slough (although some bunkers were on Coalbank Slough). These facilities were built for shipping coal from the Bunker Hill Mine and the other Newport mines via ocean-going vessels. Bunker Hill was platted in 1906 for homes by the Flanagan estate.
A post office called “Bunker Hill” was established in 1936 and operated until 1949. There is a school called Bunker Hill (presently closed), and the district offices of the Oregon Department of Forestry are currently located in Bunker Hill. Water is provided by the Coos Bay/North Bend Water Board, and sewage disposal is managed by the Bunker Hill Sanitary District, which contracts with the City of Coos Bay to treat its effluent.
Bunker Hill is a Census Designated Place (CDP) (Figure 4B). It is primarily residential to the south and east of U.S. 101, with zoning as Urban Residential Single Family (UR 1); Urban Residential Mobile Homes, Duplexes, or Planned Unit Development (UR-2); or Urban Residential Multi-family (UR-M). About 50% is zoned UR-1. Commercial uses along U.S. 101 are zoned Commercial (C-1), and Industrial (IND). North of U.S. 101 and between the IND zoned areas is land zoned Control Development-5 (CD-5), although most are small lots with residences.
Charleston:
Charleston is a small fishing community located southwest of Coos Bay on both sides of Cape Arago State Highway 240, at the confluence of South Slough and the Coos Bay estuary close to its exit into the Pacific Ocean (Figure 4C). Charleston provides access to Cape Arago, Sunset Bay, and Shore Acres State Parks, as well as to Bastendorff County Park. The community was named for Charles Haskel, who is said to have taken up a claim at the mouth of South Slough in 1853. The Charleston Post Office was not established until 1924, but continues to operate under the Coos Bay ZIP code (97420). Charleston previously had an elementary school, but this was closed in the summer of 2002 and subsequently sold to private individuals; however, the gymnasium is still used for community events such as Octoberfish. The densely populated areas of Charleston are served by
the Coos Bay/North Bend Water Board; the Charleston Sanitary District provides sewage service.
The commercial and most of the industrial areas of Charleston are zoned Commercial (C-1). The remainder of the community is zoned Urban Residential (UR-2) (CCCP). Much of the property in Charleston is publicly-owned by
The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the University of Oregon. The Port operates the Charleston Marina, serving commercial and sport fishing vessels, including docks, launch ramps, an
ice facility, an RV Park, and storage units. The Charleston Shipyard hosts three boat builders (Giddings Marine, Tarheel Aluminum, and Skallerud Marine), as well as a repair yard and dry storage. The University of Oregon’s Institute of Marine Biology (OIMB) was built on the former site of the housing for workers constructing the jetties at the mouth of Coos Bay, and provides facilities for seven research faculty, graduate students, and visiting scientists. OIMB also provides graduate, undergraduate, and summer courses and has two research vessels, a library, laboratories, and housing.
The Coast Guard presence in Charleston consists of two units: the Aids To
Navigation team of 9 personnel and 1 reservist, that covers 240 miles of the Oregon coast and includes 5 lighthouses, 18 primary buoys, 43 secondary buoys, and 156 other lights, day beacons, and fog signals; the Motor Life Boat Station Coos Bay that has provided search and rescue operations from Coos Bay to Cape Blanco for over a hundred years (an older life boat facility constructed in 1915 is now owned by OIMB [known as the “Boathouse”] and is used for public presentations). The current Motor Life Boat Station was constructed in 1968, and is currently supported by 39 personnel and hosts two 47’ and one 52’ vessels (the Intrepid motor life boats). The Coast Guard also owns an 8-plex and duplex housing facility in Charleston for their North Bend Sector personnel.
Glasgow:
A small community on the north side of Coos Bay, Glasgow was started by speculators in the 1890s and then languished for 30 years until the construction of the Oregon Coast Highway, at which point it became the northern terminus of the Coos Bay ferry. The original promoters were the Pacific Coal & Transportation Co. Once the McCullough Bridge was opened in 1936, Glasgow became a suburban community to the cities of
North Bend and Coos Bay. Glasgow retains its historic Grange Hall, a fire station, and a small grocery store with a gas pump. Glasgow is provided with drinking water by the Coos Bay/North Bend Water Board, but all residences and businesses use individual on-site septic systems for sewage disposal.
Glasgow is a Census Designated Place (CDP) for reporting purposes (Figure 4D). Approximately one-third of the central part of the community is zoned Rural Center (RC). The motel and restaurant are zoned Commercial and the remainder of the community is zoned rural Residential-2 (RR-2).
Green Acres:
Green Acres is a small community between Coquille and Coos Bay, east of State Highway 42 and the railroad tracks,
where Noble Creek broadens into Isthmus Slough (Figure 5). The area that is now Green Acres was originally a 700-acre farm homesteaded by master shipbuilder John Kruse, a Danish immigrant, in the late 19th century.
Today the community has a Grange Hall, a volunteer fire department, and a community church. The community formerly had a school in the Coos Bay School District that closed in 1985. Green Acres is also home to the Noble
Creek Fish Hatchery, operated by the Coos River Salmon Trout Enhancement Program (STEP).
Existing residential uses are on small to one acre parcels adjacent to the school and the other public and industrial uses, which are all within the Rural Center (RC) zone. Adjacent residential areas are zoned Rural Residential-2 (RR-2). The community boundary includes all lands currently zoned Rural Center (RC), Rural Residential-2 (RR-2), and tax lot 800 zoned
Industrial (IND) east of OR 42. (CCCP)
Originally called “North Sough,” the name was changed to Hauser because the old name suggested “miasmatic surroundings” (i.e., morasses, swamps, or bad drainage that was thought in the late 1800s and early 1900s to change the electrical condition of the surrounding atmosphere, causing fevers). Established as a station north of Coos Bay
on the Southern Pacific railroad, it is named for Eric V. Hauser of Portland, who had a construction contract for the railroad around 1914. The Hauser Post Office opened in 1915 and closed in 1957. The first known cranberry bog on the West Coast, built in 1885 by Charles D. McFarlin of Massachusetts, was in Hauser. The North Bay Elementary School of the North Bend School District is located in Hauser, as is the Hauser Rural Fire District and the Hauser Community Church. Hauser has a number of businesses catering to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, and Riley Ranch County Park is just north. Industry in Hauser consists of the Coos Head and Conrad wood preservation treatment facilities.
Hauser is a linear, primarily residential community that evolved along Old Highway 101 and is comprised of a range of lot sizes (Figure 6A). Approximately three-quarters of the land along Old Highway 101 is zoned Rural Center (RC). The northern one-quarter and the lands east of the Rural Center designation are zoned Rural Residential-2 (RR-2). The land east of the current Highway 101 paralleling the Rural Center designation is zoned Industrial. All of the land between old Highway 101 and new Highway 101, including the lands designated Industrial (IND), are in the proposed community boundary, including the developed portions of the land zoned Rural Residential-2 (RR-2). The Myrtlewood Factory west of Highway 101 is also included.
Millington:
Originally called “Flag Pole,” Millington is primarily a residential area developed at urban densities immediately
south of Bunker Hill and the City of Coos Bay (Figure 6B). Millington once had a school (Coos County School District 18), and presently has a Rural Fire Department. In addition to the residential areas, there are two existing commercial enterprises and a fire station on the west side of U.S. 101. There are two wood products facilities on the east side of U.S. 101, as well as two construction companies, a concrete batch facility, and storage areas for logs and log trucks. Most of Millington is zoned Urban Residential-2 (UR-2). Two areas east of U.S. 101 are zoned industrial, and several small areas are zoned Commerical-1 (C-1) on the west side of US. 101. There is also a large area zoned Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) that is currently vacant and undeveloped; a large area outside of the existing Urban Area Boundary, and west of the community is zoned RR-2.
Sumner:
Located on the Coos Bay Wagon Road (Figure 7), which at one point was its terminus where passengers shifted to boats to reach the city of Coos Bay (Marshfield) via Catching Slough, Sumner was allegedly
founded in 1888 by John B. Dalley and named for Charles Sumner (1811-1876), an antislavery politician and Massachusetts senator. The Sumner Post Office was established in 1874, with Dalley as the first postmaster, and closed
at the end of 1961. Sumner had an elementary school that closed in 1985 as a result of budget difficulties in the Coos Bay School District. There is a private water system (Sumner Water Co-op) that serves an estimated 24
people using a spring for its source. Sewage is treated on-site by individual property owners. The Sumner Rural Fire District provides fire
protection. All Sumner lands are currently zoned Rural Center (RC) or Rural Residential-2 (RR-2) (CCCP).
Sunny Hill:
Predominantly a residential community beginning on the east side of U.S. 101 immediately south of Hauser, the Sunny Hill
community is spread out in a southeasterly direction over a series of rolling hills along North Bay Drive, a section of the original Oregon Coast Highway (Figure 8). Sunny Hill had an elementary school in the North Bend
District, which is now a day-care center with space for community events. There is also a privately-owned airplane landing strip, built in 1970 and owned by Gary Femling and John Carr.
Sunny Hill is all zoned Rural Residential-2 (RR-2) with the exception of two areas zoned for industrial use, one at the northern end and one at the southern end. There are a few smaller commercial, industrial, and public
uses along North Bay Drive (and the Conrad wood treatment facility might be within the designated community).
Communities in Land Use Planning
The State of Oregon gained oversight of local land use planning and zoning with passage of Senate Bill 100 in 1973; ultimately, counties and cities were required to create comprehensive plans to meet a set of 19 state-wide
goals. The logic underlying the land use plans was—in the words of then-governor Tom McCall—to prevent “sagebrush subdivisions, coastal condo-mania, and the ravenous rampages of suburbia.” This was to be done by protecting agricultural lands (Goal 3) and forest lands (Goal 4) from urbanization (Goal 14) through the creation of Urban Growth Boundaries to contain development.
County Comprehensive Plans separated populated areas outside incorporated cities into two major types, Unincorporated Communities and Urban Unincorporated Communities using definitions found in OAR 660-022-10:
“Unincorporated Community” means a settlement with all of the following characteristics:
(a) It is made up primarily of lands subject to an exception to Statewide Planning Goal 3, Goal 4 or both;
(b) It was either identified in a county’s acknowledged comprehensive plan as a “rural community,” “service center,” “rural center,” “resort community,” or similar term before this division was adopted (October 28, 1994), or it is listed in the Department of Land Conservation and
Development’s January 30, 1997, “Survey of Oregon’s Unincorporated Communities”;
(c) It lies outside the urban growth boundary of any city;
(d) It is not incorporated as a city; and (e) It met the definition of one of the four types of unincorporated communities in sections (6) through (9) of this rule [Resort Community, Urban Unincorporated Community, Rural Community, and Rural Service Center], and included the uses described in those definitions, prior to the adoption of this division (October 28, 1994).
“Urban Unincorporated Community” is an unincorporated community which has the following characteristics:
(a) Include at least 150 permanent residential dwellings units;
(b) Contains a mixture of land uses, including three or more public, commercial, or industrial land uses;
(c) Includes areas served by a community sewer system; and
(d) Includes areas served by a community water system.
Of the four categories of Unincorporated Communities found in (e), Coos County has designated three types; the fourth, Resort Communities, that would usually apply to developments such as Bandon Dunes is not used in the Comprehensive Plan because it was approved as an “Exception” with its own
zoning system.
“Rural Service Center” is an unincorporated community consisting primarily of commercial or industrial uses providing goods and services to the surrounding rural area or to persons traveling through the area, but which also includes some permanent residential dwellings.
“Urban Unincorporated Community” is an unincorporated community which has the following characteristics:
(a) Include at least 150 permanent residential dwellings units;
(b) Contains a mixture of land uses, including three or more public, commercial, or industrial land uses;
(c) Includes areas served by a community sewer system; and
(d) Includes areas served by a community water system.
“Rural Community” is an unincorporated community which consists primarily
of permanent residential dwellings but also has at least two other land uses that provide commercial, industrial, or public uses (including but not limited to schools, churches, Grange halls, post offices) to the community, the surrounding rural area, or to persons traveling through the area.
These community designations were used in the original Coos County Comprehensive Plan, approved in 1984. The latest version of the plan (updated through 1997) identifies Barview, Bunker Hill, and Charleston as “Urban Unincorporated Communities”; Glasgow, Green Acres, Hauser, Millington, Sumner and Sunny Hill are classified as “Rural Unincorporated
Communities”; and Allegany is considered a “Rural Service Center.” The present-day (circa 2010) situation in each of these communities, based on the OAR 660-022 criteria, is shown in Table 2.
Coos Bay and North Bend. Here, we consider neighborhoods as geographically-specific areas within urbanized areas, whether within or outside of incorporated city limits. Our investigations determined that there was no
officially-designated set of neighborhoods, although some, such as Empire and Eastside, were previously their own cities.
One local real estate company, Oregon Bay Properties, has developed descriptions for these neighborhoods that we used as a starting point; we appreciate Brooke Yussim’s willingness to share their work. These were then reconciled with the 2010 U.S. Census blocks so that detailed neighborhood-specific, demographic information can be provided. Thus, these neighborhoods provide the reporting unit in subsequent chapters.
Figure 9 displays a map with our neighborhood determinations. Neighborhood map shows the various urbanized areas, with the boundary of the cities (which is also the urban growth boundary). Descriptions of these
neighborhoods are provided below.
North Bend and its Neighborhoods
The town of North Bend, incorporated in 1903, is named for the position its land plat holds in the Coos Bay waterway. Its population of nearly 10,000 residents enjoys the mild climate of the Southern Oregon Coast, as well as its beautiful sunsets and outdoor recreational opportunities. Fiercely independent in its identity separate from its close neighbor, Coos Bay, the city revels in its founding every year during its July Jubilee festivities,
celebrating more than 100 years of vibrant history.
The abundant natural resources (chiefly lumber, coal, and fish) drew ambitious entrepreneurs to the area in the mid-1800s, which quickly established the town’s industrial beginnings. What started as a rowdy, blue collar town with saloons and brothels had been tamed by the turn of the century by the presence of families, social clubs, and churches. While logging and fishing remain important industries, their declines have made room for other draws to this area, such as RV-ing, dune riding (ATVs), shopping, and the casino industry. North Bend neighborhoods are shown in
Figure 10.
Airport Heights:
This neighborhood is named for its location near the Southwest Oregon
Regional Airport (originally named North Bend Airport), established in 1940. The neighborhood is roughly bordered on the south by Virginia Avenue, the north and east by the airport and a U. S. Coast Guard Air Station, and the west by the city limits (just beyond Channel Street).
The neighborhood is within easy walking distance of North Bend’s main shopping district, which includes the Pony Village Mall. Some highlights of Airport Heights include a neighborhood market (Airport Heights Market),
Airport Heights Park, North Bend Senior Activity Center, and a paved walking path (near the Bureau of Land Management Offices). Coos Bay and the McCullough Bridge make for beautiful views from many areas in this
neighborhood. The oldest homes in this area are located primarily in the north central portion of the neighborhood and later construction fanned out south, east, and west, with the newest construction in the southern and
western portions. Most homes are of wooden construction, but there are a small number of newer (1995 and later) manufactured homes, as well.
Sherman Heights/Pony Creek:
The Sherman Heights/Pony Creek area comprises the heart of North Bend as it consists of a good portion of the downtown area as well as the primary
shopping district. Covering the southeast quadrant of the city, including the Edgewood Subdivision, the neighborhood is bordered by the bay on the east, Virginia Avenue to the north, Broadway Avenue on the west, and the
city limits (just north of Thompson Rd.) on the south.
In the 1950s and 1960s, and the early 1970s, the wetlands and tidal areas along Pony Creek were filled in and developed, providing land to build the North Bend High School and Middle School, as well as the Pony Village Mall.
Pony Village Mall is the largest indoor mall on the Oregon coast, built in 1960. All but one North Bend School is within this neighborhood, as are the greatest number of arts and entertainment options (Pony Village Cinema,
Little Theater on the Bay, and North Bend Lanes, to name a few). Most of the city’s churches and restaurants are also located here.
The homes in the Sherman Heights area were built primarily in the first half of the 20th Century, with a few exceptions. In and around the Pony Creek area and the Edgewood Subdivision, the homes are latter 20th Century
vintage with a scattered few constructed in the last 10 years. Most homes are of wooden construction, and vary widely in style, depending greatly upon the year constructed.
Simpson Heights:
What started as the original Simpson Company town site, with a lumber mill and a shipyard (dating back to 1857 and 1858, respectively), is now a quiet neighborhood with beautiful homes, many of which command spectacular bay views. The neighborhood is bordered on the north and east by the north bend of the Coos Bay, the west by Pony Slough, and the south by Virginia Avenue. The neighborhood boasts three parks, and one of only a few neon signs still allowed to span a state highway (“Welcome to North Bend” – installed in 1936), as well as the North Bend Information Center. There is a scenic walking trail that extends from Ferry
Road Park to Simpson Park, a boat ramp, and the North Bend Boardwalk. A neighborhood market and meat processor (Ashworth’s) also serves the residents of this area.
The homes in this area were built primarily in the first half of the 20th Century, with few exceptions. Most homes are of wooden construction, with a distinctly craftsman or Victorian style evident in homes built in the early 1900s. Another high concentration of construction occurred from the mid-1940s to the mid-1950s, and reflecting the bungalow or ranch styles.
West North Bend:
The lumber boom in the 1970s caused a significant growth for North Bend, spurring construction of many new homes in the West North Bend neighborhood. Covering the southwest quadrant of the city, between Pony Slough and the Empire Lakes area, the neighborhood is roughly
bordered by the city limits on the south (just south of Lynne Drive), the city limits on the west (which skirts the Empire Lakes area along Fir St., then juts further west towards Crocker St., north of the lakes), Virginia Avenue to the north, and Broadway Avenue on the east.
The homes in this neighborhood were constructed as early as the 1930s, with the most prolific construction period occurring during the lumber boom of the 1970s. However, most of the newest developments in North Bend are in this western part of town, as well. Most homes are of wooden construction, although manufactured homes started making an appearance in the 1990s and comprise a small percentage of the homes in this area. A secondary retail district with several restaurants is located on the southern portion of
this neighborhood along Newmark Avenue. Also located in this area are several churches, two parks, one private school, and the town’s Community Center, chiefly along either Broadway or Newmark Avenues.
Coos Bay and its Neighborhoods
The town of Coos Bay is named after the body of water along which it lies. Formerly known as Marshfield (after the Massachusetts home town of its founder), this community was established in 1853 and officially renamed in
1944. The region saw significant growth in its population from 1910 through the 1930s. However, it was the lumber boom of the late 1960s to early 1970s that nearly doubled the population. The area’s more diversified industries now include tourism, retail and service providers (especially health care), and technology. Coos Bay neighborhoods are shown in Figures 11 and 12.
Central Coos Bay:
This neighborhood comprises downtown Coos Bay and the majority of the original residential area of what was once known as Marshfield. Central is the main business and retail area of Coos Bay, and as such, includes many restaurants and public buildings. The neighborhood is bordered on the north by Central Avenue, on the east by the bay, on the south by Johnson Avenue, and the west by Anderson Avenue.
Most of the original commercial buildings in downtown Coos Bay were built at the turn of the 20th Century (late 1800s/early 1900s). The downtown area, originally located on Front Street (the waterfront), rapidly began
expanding westward following the construction of the Chandler Hotel in 1909. By the mid-1920s, the heart of downtown Coos Bay was finally centered three blocks west of its original location, due in part to a devastating
fire in July 1922 that destroyed most of the wood frame (as well as some of the brick) structures along Front Street. Homes in this neighborhood were built from the 1890s to the 1950s, and range from the more modest 1920s or 1930s bungalow, to the early 20th Century traditional style and to the mid-20th Century ranch style home.
Eastside:
The Eastside neighborhood was once known as East Marshfield for its position on the east side of the bay. The East Marshfield Post Office was established in 1891 and operated intermittently until 1908. The community of Eastside merged with the town of Coos Bay in 1983. Eastside is surrounded by water on three sides (Coos Bay – the Marshfield Channel to the north, Catching Slough to the east, and Isthmus Slough to the west). The southern border of Eastside is the city limits, which follows I Street.
Eastside is a small community, served by a couple of restaurants and churches, and a convenience store. The Eastside district has a large residential area with water and city views from many of the properties. The
majority of the homes in this neighborhood were built in the traditional or ranch style in the mid-20th Century.
Empire:
When Coos Bay Company settlers came to the area in 1853 they used the
Indian village of Hanasitc as a town site and named it Empire City. It served as the County seat until 1896 when the citizens of Coos County voted to move the seat to the town of Coquille. Empire City was the site of the
first Post Office (established in 1858) to serve the Coos County area. In 1894, Empire City changed its name to simply Empire; it was incorporated into the town of Coos Bay by popular vote in 1965. The neighborhood is
bordered on the north and west by the bay, the east by Schoneman Street, on the south by the Coos Bay city limits that include the Bay Way Trailer Park just south of Wisconsin Ave/Cameron Rd.
Empire has its own public boat ramp, several RV parks, a small neighborhood park with playground (Taylor/Wasson), and elementary and middle schools. The future site of The Hollering Place Development (a project of the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians) is located on the bluff above the channel, and will radically change the area if it comes to fruition. Homes existing in this area were built primarily
between 1945 and 1955, and are of modest construction reflecting the ranch or bungalow style. Another burst of construction occurred in the late 1970s, and manufactured homes began to show up about that time, too. There
are a handful of homes from the late 19th Century that also remain.
Empire Lakes:
The Empire Lakes neighborhood encompasses a residential area (to the north and south), the local community college campus (on the east side), and the large John Topits Park that contains three lakes (one, “Upper Empire Lake,” is the northernmost arm of “Middle Empire Lake”). The neighborhood is bordered on the north by the bay, on the west by Schoneman and Taylor Streets, on the south by Newmark Avenue, and on the east by Fir Street alongside the park, and Crocker Street north of the park.
A central feature of Empire Lakes, Southwestern Oregon Community College was established in 1959, and is the oldest community college in the State of Oregon. The homes in this area were built primarily in the 1970s and 1980s in the ranch style. However, some homes bordering the north side of the park date back to the 1950s. There are also small pockets of newer construction built in the last 15 years, as well as a few newer manufactured homes.
Englewood/Libby:
This neighborhood is located south and west of the Coos Bay town center. The name Libby is said to have come from the daughter of a Coos Indian headman that once lived in the area. The original town of Libby grew through benefit of the coal mines in the area, particularly the Eastport mine. The Englewood/Libby neighborhood is bordered on the north by Johnson Avenue, the east and south by Coalbank Slough and its tributaries, and the west by Nichols Road. There is a largely industrial area in the western portion of the neighborhood, with vehicle repair, RV sales, warehouses, trucking distribution centers, and small machine retailers, as well as plumbing, heating, and electrical companies. Commercial establishments also include the local Department of Motor Vehicles and major grocery retailers. The neighborhood’s main residential area has a decidedly rural backdrop of views of the slough and lowlands to the east, and gradually climbing, wooded hills to the south and west. Lots are
generally larger than the standard 50 X 100’ city size, with many homes on parcels of an acre or more. Homes in this neighborhood are modest in style and size, with the early 20th Century bungalow and cottage styles common, as is the day ranch style (due to the hilly terrain).
Hospital Park/Milner Crest:
This neighborhood is where the majority of Coos Bay and North Bend’s current medical facilities are located, with Bay Area Hospital (opened in 1974) being the centerpiece. Milner Crest refers to the crest of an elevated portion of the neighborhood overlooking the Coos Bay. The neighborhood is bordered on the north by the city limits just north of Thompson Road, on the east by Highway 101, on the south by Greenwood Avenue, and on the west by Woodland Drive and Ocean Boulevard.
Besides being the home of numerous clinics, labs and medical offices, this neighborhood also has many stores and offices along Woodland Boulevard below the Hospital. The Milner Crest area is a highly desirable residential
area filled with quiet streets and some bay view homes. The majority of the homes in this neighborhood were built in the mid-20th Century; architectural styles range from 1940s traditional to 1950s rambler to 1950-
1960s ranch or day ranch.
Radar Hill/Ocean Blvd:
This neighborhood is largely dominated by the Pony Creek Reservoir and Merritt Lake. The residential area in this neighborhood forms a loose horseshoe shape to the north and is bordered on the north by Newmark Avenue, to the east by Fir Street, Woodland Drive, and Ocean Terrace, to the south by Ocean Boulevard, and to the west by Fillmore and Schoneman Streets. The office and clinic of the Confederated Tribes of
the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians is in this neighborhood.
There are several mobile home parks in this area; all but one are for residents aged 55 and older. Additionally, there are a couple of assisted living facilities, as well as a nursing home, and The Boys & Girls Club of Coos Bay is located just north of Ocean Boulevard. Businesses in this area are located along Ocean Boulevard and Newmark Avenue. The Radar
Hill residential area comprises the western leg of the horseshoe and features bay and ocean views from many of the homes. Existing homes in this neighborhood were constructed from 1950 to 1990, with manufactured homes on land beginning to appear in the late 1990s. Recent construction has materialized in the Radar Hill area largely in two separate developments. The Pacific Crest, at the top of the hill, offers contemporary style homes; while Lighthouse Estates, at the base of Radar Hill, is comprised of more moderately priced, craftsman style homes on smaller lots.
Telegraph Hill/Mingus Park:
This neighborhood is the smallest in Coos Bay and has Mingus Park at its center. Mingus Park was originally called Marshfield Park; it was established in 1925 and renamed in 1937 to
honor Dr. Everett Mingus, a local resident responsible for the park’s further development. Telegraph Hill is a summit overlooking the Coos Bay with a peak elevation of 282’ above sea level. This neighborhood is bordered on the north by Greenwood Avenue, the east by Bayshore Drive, the south by Central Avenue; the western border is located just west of and
follows Ocean Boulevard.
Spectacular bay views dominate to the east, city views stretch out to the south, and pastoral views of the park roll out to the west. The neighborhood also offers several lodging options, a bistro, and The Marshfield Sun Printing museum on the frontage to U.S. 101, and the new Coos History Museum is planned for the waterfront at the northeast corner of this neighborhood. Most of the homes in this neighborhood were built in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and are of a ranch or custom design. Homes that were built in the early 20th Century border Mingus Park, along with some
homes of contemporary design built in the 1990s that overlook the Park and downtown.
readily name their community or neighborhood, oftentimes adding where they grew up as well.
Improvements in transportation expanded the tolerable distance between housing and work, schools, shopping, and other services, Changes in transportation, along with increased populations, contributed to the
growth of the cities of Marshfield and North Bend. The merging of Marshfield, Empire and Eastside into the City of Coos Bay provided further consolidation into a single urbanized area. These original, independent, communities and cities became the basis for many of the neighborhoods discussed in this chapter; while other neighborhoods grew through land platting and development.
The Partnership area is diverse and heterogeneous, both within neighborhoods as well as between them. This diversity will be highlighted
in the next chapter, Population and Housing, relying upon the 2010 U.S. Census demographic and housing information reported at the Block level, aggregated by neighborhood. Neighborhoods will also be the primary
reporting unit for the Land Use and Zoning chapter as well. Finally, in the Schools and Education chapter we will see the pattern of local community schools consolidating into larger, unified school districts as evidence of
how transportation has affected the socio-economic context of the Partnership area.