Beaver Hill Mine Historical Marker Dedication

The Coos History Museum hosted the South Coast’s first Juneteenth Celebration in 2021. Research for that event, and the Equal Justice Initiative and Oregon Remembrance Project’s historical marker for Alonzo Tucker, revealed more information about the large number of persons of color associated with coal mining in the late 1890s-1910s in Coos County. Zachary Stocks, of the Oregon Black Pioneers Museum, proposed to the Oregon Travel Information Council that an Oregon historical marker should be erected near the Beaver Hill Mine site in central Coos County because of the unique historic nature of coal mining in Oregon and the diversity of miners at the site.

Annie Von Domitz (Oregon TIC staff) contacted Marcia Hart (Coos History Museum director) about the project and the museum agreed to assist with the project. Under the leadership of Von Domitz, Hart, and Bob Garcia (Chair, Oregon Historical Marker Committee) an historic marker committee was formed. Zachary Stocks, Chief Don Ivy (Coquille Indian Tribe), and Steve Greif (Coos History Museum board member) initiated draft language for the sign. Taylor Stewart (Oregon Remembrance Project), Ariel Peasley (Coos History Museum education coordinator), Ed Washington and Eliza Canty-Jones (Oregon Travel Information Council) contributed to the final draft. Photographs for the Beaver Hill Historic Marker were provided by the Coos History Museum and Bert Dunn of the Coquille Valley Museum. The marker was then designed and manufactured by Leia Reedijk and Sea Reach Profession Services of Sheridan, Oregon.

Fundraising for the sign was led by Marcia Hart (Coos History Museum executive director), Arica Sears (Oregon Coast Visitors Association) and the staff of the Oregon TIC. Stuart Love (Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife) and Chris Bell (Oregon Dept. of Transportation) were helpful in arranging for the site of the new marker. The sign was erected in late 2021 by Oregon TIC staff near Beaver Slough, south of Coaledo, on North Bank Road at a quarter-mile west of its junction near Hwy. 42. A formal dedication for Oregon’s newest state historical marker, open to the public, will take place at the site on Saturday, June 18 th , 11 a.m. Meet at the museum no later than 10 a.m. if you would like to follow museum staff to the site.

Celebrate Juneteenth 2022 Webpage

All events subject to change.