Author Andrea Scharf and guests to speak
at Maritime Museum
Saturday, September 14, 2:00 pm

In 1981, a developer bought 186 acres on the coast south of Yachats and set the bureaucratic wheels in motion to build a resort on the property. A diverse community living along Tenmile Creek Road, Big Creek Road, Yachats, Yachats River Valley and surrounding areas, came together to testify against the development at a public hearing. Dismissed by the developer as “just a bunch of hippies” the Tenmile community found themselves united by a common goal—stopping development of this wild, scenic part of the Oregon coast.

For the next thirty-five years, these “hippies” fought against the development with every legal means at their disposal. Leadership came from Tom Smith, a fisheries biologist with many years of experience working with environmental organizations, but the young people who had moved to the area in the 1970s contributed a surprising range of skills, as well as dedication. Many continued to have careers or pursue volunteer opportunities that impacted the natural environment and the culture and arts of the Central Oregon Coast.

Several members of the “Greater Tenmile Community” will join Andrea Scharf, author of Saving Big Creek, the story of the campaign against the resort, to talk about their experiences—what drew them to the Central Oregon Coast, how they built community, learned new survival skills, and what resulted from their participation in the effort to save Big Creek.

Join us in the new Doerfler Family Theater at the Maritime Museum, 333 SE Bay Blvd., on Saturday, September 14, at
2 p.m. Audience participation is welcome!

Admission is Free for Members, $5 for Non-Members, with Kids 12 and under free. Parking is available at the top of the hill adjacent to the museum.

For more information, call 541-265-7509.