Coos Bay in Coos County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)
Transportation
(left panel)
Most travel was on water;
roads and rail lines were limited in the early days.
Passenger ships called at the Port of Coos Bay regularly. Travel by water was faster, and much more predictable than by land.
In the early 1900s, the steamship Breakwater made the trip from San Francisco to Coos Bay every six days. The ship, carrying freight and as many as ninety-two passengers completed the trip in about thirty hours.
Shipbuilding developed as one of the first industries in the area to meet the needs of water transportation. While most ships were built to transport lumber and coal, other types of ships were built as well.
During both World War I and World War II, employment in the shipyards increased dramatically as local shipyards built ships for the United States government war effort.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • War, World I • War, World II • Waterways & Vessels.
Location. 43° 22.045′ N, 124° 12.728′ W. Marker is in Coos Bay, Oregon, in Coos County. Marker is on Oregon Coast Highway (U.S. 101) north of Anderson Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located in an interpretive kiosk along the Coos Bay Board Walk. This marker is the left panel of a set of three related markers. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Coos Bay OR 97420, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A different marker also named Transportation (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named Transportation (here, next to this marker); The Changing Waterfront (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named The Changing Waterfront (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named The Changing Waterfront (here, next to this marker); Welcome to the Oregon Coast (within shouting distance of this marker); Shipping (within shouting distance of this marker); Koos No. 2 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Coos Bay.
Regarding Transportation. WWI temporarily revived the wooden shipbuilding industry in Coos Bay. The CBSC and the Kruse and Banks Shipyard, established in 1905, each contracted with the government to build ten wooden steamships. CBSC workers were only able to produce four ships before the war ended in 1918, and the government canceled outstanding orders. (Submitted on February 16, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Coos Bay Transportation
Also see . . . Simpson timber empire made Coos Bay a shipbuilding capital. Offbeat Oregon entry:
There was a time, a century and a half ago, when Coos Bay was the shipbuilding capital of the entire West Coast. It all started, as so much West Coast history does, with the Gold Rush. A young apprentice shipbuilder named Asa Mead Simpson, caught up in the excitement, jumped aboard a sailing ship in which he owned a small percentage and headed for the gold fields. (Submitted on February 16, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 18, 2021. It was originally submitted on February 16, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 402 times since then and 12 times this year. Last updated on February 16, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on February 16, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 7. submitted on February 16, 2018. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.