The ocean beaches in Oregon are public lands thanks in part to some far-sighted politicians a little more than a century ago. In 1913, Oregon Governor Oswald West wrote a concise sixty-word bill which declared Oregon’s seashore a public highway. While he realized that someday there would be an actual road along the coast, by declaring the seashore a public highway meant that Oregon beaches were remain public lands. In 1967, Oregon passed a “beach bill” to ensure than Oregon’s beaches would belong to all, not just the wealthy elite.
Lincoln City was incorporated in 1965 when the communities of Delake, Oceanlake, and Nelscott were combined. Within Lincoln City is the Devils Lake State Park Campground which is within easy walking distance of the beach. While staying at the campground, I had the opportunity to walk the beach a number of times. Shown below are a few of my photographs of the Lincoln City Beach.
Public Lands
Public lands are lands which are owned by the public and open to use by the public rather than being restricted to the wealthy elite. These lands include not only beaches, but forests and grasslands, large wilderness areas and small city parks. More public lands photo diaries from this series:
Public Lands: The Columbia Riverfront Trail (Photo Diary)
Public Lands: Simpson Beach (Photo Diary)
Public Lands: The Trail to Norton Gulch (Photo Diary)
Public Lands: A Small Urban Park (Photo Diary)
Glacier Park: Lake McDonald (Photo Diary)
Public Lands: Devils Lake State Park (Photo Diary)