TWST Blog

We are in Tillamook, the “land of many waters,” and its another incredibly beautiful, sunny September day. The cows in the pastures, the trees on the hillside, and the sparkling waters. . . we can understand why just about everyone we meet tells us what a wonderful place this is to live. Our tour has two stops in Tillamook County. We were happy that Louis King, program officer with the Spirit Mountain Community Fund, could join us for both.

At noon, about 30 people gathered in the awesome community meeting room in the Tillamook County 911 Center (the purple walls and coastal photos were very cool!). A smaller crowd joined us in the late afternoon at the beautiful Oregon Forestry Center. We have to say how impressed we are with these community meeting rooms - we know these are a treasure in rural Oregon.

No surprise, the loss of timber payments and, with winter approaching, flooding concerns are big issues currently on this community’s mind. Basic needs such as living wage jobs, childcare, transportation, affordable housing, and hunger are also major challenges facing Tillamook. Echoing our earlier stop in the north county, access to arts and culture and local food systems are also hot issues.

We heard, both here and in Nehalem, about the blessings and challenges of the area’s recent growth. As the area has grown, the community is finding itself stretched to maintain the quality of life that has attracted so many tourists and second-homeowners. We also learned more about the challenges of engaging the area’s many part-time residents as community members and contributors to the work of local nonprofits. Another reminder that maintaining great quality of life doesn’t just happen and how important it is to be involved in community!

It was a treat to meet the people involved in the nonprofits MMT and Spirit Mountain have partnered with over the years - and the many, many others who are doing such important work here. We were also inspired hearing about unique community collaborations such as Friday Brown Bag where junior high students work with the Regional Food Bank and the Salvation Army to distribute sack lunches to the hungry and cultivate community involvement among the next generation.

On a more personal note . . . we must confess that we are foodies, and we were looking for some local advice about where to catch a bite. Good advice should be shared, so next time you are in Tillamook, try the awesome sandwiches at The Blue Moon Café in downtown Tillamook across the street from the Pioneer Museum. Who knows? We might go back tomorrow for those awesome-looking scones. 

Several well-informed locals directed us to Oceanside for dinner and we have to say that the crab cakes and Marionberry cobbler at Roseanna’s Café did not disappoint! And how about that sunset view?? 

There sure is a lot to like about Tillamook – we think we’re really beginning to understand why people are so enthusiastic about living here!

See you at the next stop!

Sally Yee & Candy Solovjovs

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