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The location in the photo above is the most historic place in Coos County. It
was known as "The Hollering Place" by the indigenous population since it was
the narrowest crossing of the bay for anyone traveling south on the coastal
route. The traveler would holler across to the village and someone would
paddle over to provide passage. As it is also the location of the
 deepest
water in the west bay, it became the site of the first European settlement
in Coos County. The first courthouse, Hanging Tree, and the two oldest homes
in Coos County were located here.
In 1999 when the building
located at the top of the site burned, it became the only place on the
primary tourist route to Sunset Beach, Shore Acres, and Cape
Arago where tourists and locals might stop
and access the water, both visually and physically. A grassroots effort
started at this time to develop The Hollering Place, with emphasis on
creating a public view point, improving beach access, telling the history of
Empire and revitalizing downtown Empire.
 Careful development of this
location combining the telling of its history with vastly facilitated public
access to the water and a strong retail component would |
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make a major
contribution toward revitalizing downtown Empire. In turn
this site would be used to direct
tourists to the rest of Coos Bay and Coos County -
building off the fact that Coos County
began here, a function and service not now provided since the major
tourist route presently by passes both
downtown Coos Bay and much of the remainder of the county.
Development would include a
wayside pullout and historic interpretive center for the upper site parcel
(a major component of which would be an
"active directory" which would induce tourists to visit the rest of Coos Bay
and
other
points of interest in Coos County); multiple use waterfront structures and
area for public events,
recreation and water-related activities and several
retail/commercial structures with
accompanying infrastructures for all. |
