Bob McEwan Gearhart Memories Part 1
Early Life in Gearhart: Memories Before World War II
This transcript is part of an oral history interview conducted on July 17 with Bob McEwan, Russ Taggard, and Tom Smith, focusing on Gearhart, Oregon before and after World War II. McEwan recounts memories of early city infrastructure including the original city hall and fire department, run largely by one man, Harold Teberg. He mentions the city’s first grocery stores and early local figures like Jim Cutler, Nettie McKickney, and Fat Washer. The discussion also explores residential development, particularly near Ocean Avenue and Marion Avenue, and mentions wealthy Portland families like the Malarkeys and Millers who built summer homes in Gearhart. McEwan also reflects on his return from military service, his long marriage to Mamie, and changes in transportation and land use including the retirement of horse-drawn equipment around the 1930s in favor of motorized trucks.
Paul See Digital Scanning Initiative
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