Day 25. May 30, 2019. Ocean Shores Washington

It's Day 25! Its also May 30th, 2019 And we are in Ocean Shores Washington

From Shelton we would drive 80 miles or so out to the Washington coast and Ocean Shores for a night on the beach at Grays Harbor.

A little less impromptu...I actually wanted to stop here because it was another area that I had been to, over the years....but given what I had just learned about where I actually lived....I knew there would be more.

In the old days, a run to Ocean Shores meant little more than some food and drink at The Fish Shack after a day of beachcombing and 4 wheeling.

Another one of the things I enjoyed so much about the Pacific Northwest coast, beyond the beauty of it...was that there are spots where you can actually drive out on the beach and explore for miles in your car...well....assuming its 4 wheel drive of course! Mine was! A 2006 Saab 9-3 Turbo X...limited edition...funnest car ever!....but I digress

Drivin on the beach? something I'd never been able to do, or even seen in California or Hawaii.

An all time favorite....Specific to Ocean Shores....

Was the summer a couple of friends and I hopped on the Harleys and rode the 100 miles or so out to Ocean Shores to enjoy the weekend at the "Hog Wild Ocean Shores Motorcycle Rallye"

A three day motorcycle Rallye...usually around last weekend in July...

It's the largest in Western Washington and attracts bikers, and bike lovers from all over the country.

For two days we would grab breakfast...and then basically walk all day checking out the biking games, a couple of super fun stunt and drill team shows. The parade, bike shows and awards ceremonies. Naturally the beer gardens and tons of food!

We even saw a tattoo contest. You would be amazed....or at least I was....at what folks will put on their bodies....and where they chose to put it....interesting!

And all throughout live music everywhere and even organized bike rides touring the area.

Our last evening was spent at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino. No gambling...well...maybe a little...but mainly we were there for a Jo Dee Messina concert and the fireworks show.

The evenings were spent back and forth between the bars....walks along the beach and picking one of several bon fires to sit around, visit with new friends, and just enjoy the coast...in the Pacific Northwest.

So it's fulfilling, maybe even a little reminiscent.... for me to sit here on a spring night...with the sounds of the ocean just outside our door and read through the history of this area.

And....as suspected....it's a lot more than a bistro on the beach, a casino....and a motorcycle rally.

I''ll start with a quote I enjoyed from the Quinalt Nation website:

“People of the Quinault”

We are among the small number of Americans who can walk the same beaches, paddle the same waters, and hunt the same lands our ancestors did centuries ago.

The Quinault Indian Nation (QIN) consists of the Quinault and Queets tribes and descendants of five other coastal tribes:

Quileute, Hoh, Chehalis, Chinook, and Cowlitz .

Our ancestors lived on a major physical and cultural dividing line. Beaches to the south are wide and sandy, while to the north, they are rugged and cliff-lined.

We shared in the cultures of the people to the south as well as those to the north."

As for history of the area....as always...I started with a quick Bing.

Ocean Shores, Washington, has a rich history that dates back to the times of Native American tribes and European exploration.

The Point Brown peninsula, where Ocean Shores is located, was used by various local tribes for trading and other purposes before the arrival of European explorers and settlers.

The Chinook, Chehalis, and Quinault Tribes used the area, as well as others that now make up the Quinault Indian Nation.

The Quinault Reservation was founded in 1855 with the signing of the Treaty of Olympia (also known as the Quinault River Treaty)

The reservation covers 208,150 acres.

The Quinault Reservation would later be named The Quinault Indian Nation and is headquartered in Taholah Washington...just about 30 miles from where we are right now.

The area would be discovered in the late 1700's by Captain Robert Gray...

Captain Gray was an American merchant sea captain from the east coast, known for his achievements in connection with the two trading voyages to the northern Pacific coast of North America.

These voyages pioneered the American maritime fur trade in this region.

He sailed into the bay on May 7th, 1792 and named the area Bullfinch Harbor.

Later, Captain George Vancouver renamed the area after Captain Gray, which is why it is now called Grays Harbor.

The first known white settler on the Point was Matthew McGee. He settled in the early 1860's.

Matthew would later sell the southern portion of the peninsula to A.O. Damon to be used as a trading supply center whose dock extended into the Oyehut channel.

After McGee's death....Damon would take over the entire peninsula from McGee, and the land was passed along to his grandson, Ralph Minard.

Minard used the area as a cattle ranch from 1929 until he sold to the Ocean Shores Development Corporation in 1960 for 1 million dollars.

At the time, the Washington legislature was considering legalizing some forms of gambling.

The Ocean Shores Development corporation was expecting huge casino development in the area...so they parked a travel trailer in the dunes and began selling lots...from a plat map...and sight unseen. Prices started at 595 bucks per lot...but as the number of lots sold increased...so did their prices.

Property lots were staked and numbered only as the road construction crews began to lay out the massive road system...ha-ha...they were selling plots before the area even had roads.

Even though the first roads were only 20 miles in length, the downtown area had mercury vapor lights to show that this was a booming city.

In the first year, 25 homes were constructed and their owners had charter membership certificates in the Ocean Shores Community Club. As the development grew, the Ginny Simms Restaurant and Nightclub brought in the Hollywood set.

Ginny Simms was a big band singer and actress of the time. She was also married to Donald Easvold, a former Washington State attorney general.

These two, were among the founders of the coastal resort area. The Ginny Simms Restaurant was the second structure built there.

As for the Hollywood Connection....The Ginny Simms Restaurant and Nightclub drew a steady stream of celebrities to the area ..in fact...on opening night...

Chartered planes flew up a whole contingent of Hollywood stars...

Over 11,000 spectators showed up at Bowerman Basin to catch a glimpse of famouse people.

The restaurant was pivotal to the areas development and growth. It remained in operation until Ginny's death in 1994 when it ceased operation.

By December 1960, 25 miles of canals were planned, a six-hole golf course was drawing players, and the mall shopping area was ready for the 1961 boom. The mall, 100 motel units, three restaurants, and the airstrip all sprang out the sandy dunes by 1963.

Despite the initial success, the development company soon fell apart...But the city lived on to become incorporated in 1970 with the moniker...Ocean Shores.

Today, Ocean Shores is a thriving city known for its beautiful beaches, recreational activities, and special events. The centuries deep connection with the Native American community lives on as well. The community is extremely active and remains a player in the areas economy...and growth....ensuring that they hold their spot in history...as it relates to Ocean Shores...and western Washington in general.

For Dougie, Billie, and I…it was a great spot to park on the beach and enjoy the evening. Spent the better part of the next day exploring the area, long walks on the beach and taking in the scenery before heading back out to 101 south to......ehhh...who knows....

I wonder what we will learn there......