Seaside

Close to Portland and located just north of Tillamook Head, Seaside's broad sandy beach and coastal community has long been one of Oregon's most popular getaways.

The site marks the westernmost point of progress for Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery, and it was a pivotal camp in their journey. Before the Corps made their eastward return, they needed to wait out harsh winter conditions and refortify their supplies. In October of 1805 Lewis and Clark sent five men to find an ideal beach to extract the salt that would later be used preserve all of the party's meat. The "Salt Maker's Camp" was established 15 miles south of Fort Clatsop on a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and the Necanicum River, at what is now the location of Seaside.

Over the last two centuries the peninsula, once known as West Seaside, has been extensively developed as a tourist destination. The first railroad to the town was constructed in 1888, a stretch from Youngs Bay (Astoria) to Seaside. Portland vacationers would make the first leg of the journey by boat down the Columbia River. Ten years later the railroad extended all the way to Portland, and by 1910 seven trains would arrive daily. The communities of West Seaside and Seaside embraced the growth and popularity and merged into one town, and with the addition of a 1.5-mile Promenade and multi-story accommodations, Seaside became Oregon's most developed shoreline.