Bob McEwan First days in Gearhart
This oral history excerpt, recorded on July 17, features a conversation with Bob McEwan, joined by Russ Taggard and Tom Smith. Bob recounts moving to Gearhart, Oregon in 1929 at the age of seven with his grandmother, following his mother’s financial struggles during the Great Depression in Portland. His grandmother purchased the Brandenburg farm property in Gearhart, where they lived in a simple shack without plumbing or electricity. She found work at local hotels, continuing a career that had previously taken her along the Union Pacific Hotel Company line through Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, and eventually Seaside, Oregon, where she ran a dining room at the end of the SP&S Railroadline.
Bob vividly describes early Gearhart: tall old-growth timber, few houses, a wooden sidewalk, and a dirt road that later became the main street. He reflects on early transportation, including the lack of a car bridge from Astoria to Warrentonand the important role of the railroad trestle in building the jetty at Fort Stevens. He attended school in both Seasideand Gearhart, including an old schoolhouse now converted into a private residence. His grandmother’s respected role at the hotel even helped him get a summer job, earning him $100—a significant amount at the time.
https://archive.org/details/gearhart-beginings-hdr-master
Click on picture to view video which is about 9 minutes long.
Paul See Digital Scanning Initiative
**”History can disappear in an instant, but with your help, we can preserve it forever. The Paul See Digital Scanning Initiative has already digitized over 75,000 pages of Clatsop County’s history, ensuring it remains accessible for generations. Now, every donation counts more than ever—a generous donor is matching all contributions dollar-for-dollar up to $20,000 through the end of 2025!
To donate, visit astoriamuseums.org/support-us/donate, mail a check to CCHS at PO Box 88, Astoria, OR 97103, or call 503-325-2203 (be sure to specify it’s for the Scanning Center).
Don’t miss this chance to double your impact—every dollar makes a difference in preserving our shared heritage!”**
