Beachcomber Square Dancing Hall needs a new roof
Donation protected
The Beachcomber's Square Dance Club, in Port Orford, Oregon has its own dance hall, one of the best square dance venues in the state of Oregon.
Our hall has been in use for 60 years and it needs serious attention. We are hoping to put on a whole new roof. At the least, we need extensive repairs. We have already begun raising funds for the roof with our usual methods of fund raising, but that won't be enough.
We are seeking funds to keep the Beachcombers Hall an asset to the Oregon Square Dancing Community.
Dancing at the Beachcomber's Cove
Dancing in the surf on the Southern Oregon Coast.
Here is a brief history of the Beachcombers:
In 1953 Port Orford was quite remote compared to other areas and with the new plywood mill starting and logging and housing in full swing, the choices for young families and couples was limited. Square dancing was enjoying surging popularity nation wide and the south coast was no exception.
In the late 50s a local businesswoman named Susie Nicholson was so impressed with the club’s efforts to include local teenagers and give them a healthy activity she donated a parcel of land on which the club would soon build the hall where they still dance today. This building ended a period of moving from location to location for their dances. Finally the Beachcombers had found a home.
Harvey Meyers designed the ceiling/roof truss system and the unique floor. He even invented an apparatus to hold the strips of plywood while they were being glued together to form the outstanding 4 X 4 foot squares of flooring. The building was completed in the fall of 1958 and the first dance was held in January of 1959. Early in the 60s, Martha Dunn of Coquille painted giant murals inside the wooden window covers on the East and West walls of the building depicting Battle Rock Beach and Nellie’s Cove.
Well known all over the state for having one of the best dance floors and fantastic acoustics, the Beachcombers Cove is a popular stop for many dancers who travel to the Beachcombers’ two big weekend dances each year. Labor Day Weekend the club’s Battle Rock Dance and the Birthday Weekend in July, feature a smokey beef barbeque, three nights of dancing, a casual dance in the surf at Battle Rock, a fundraiser pancake breakfast and lots of visiting and sightseeing.
Dancers have come and gone over the years but a list of charter members and the first known group photo hangs proudly in the Cove. Since 1959 callers and round dance cuers who have lead the dancers through their paces have signed small plywood life preservers which ring the dance floor. A place where history and Modern Square and round dancing come together, it doesn’t get any better than the Beachcombers Cove.
Please help us to keep this wonderful resource going.
Thanks.
Our hall has been in use for 60 years and it needs serious attention. We are hoping to put on a whole new roof. At the least, we need extensive repairs. We have already begun raising funds for the roof with our usual methods of fund raising, but that won't be enough.
We are seeking funds to keep the Beachcombers Hall an asset to the Oregon Square Dancing Community.
Dancing at the Beachcomber's Cove
Dancing in the surf on the Southern Oregon Coast.
Here is a brief history of the Beachcombers:
In 1953 Port Orford was quite remote compared to other areas and with the new plywood mill starting and logging and housing in full swing, the choices for young families and couples was limited. Square dancing was enjoying surging popularity nation wide and the south coast was no exception.
In the late 50s a local businesswoman named Susie Nicholson was so impressed with the club’s efforts to include local teenagers and give them a healthy activity she donated a parcel of land on which the club would soon build the hall where they still dance today. This building ended a period of moving from location to location for their dances. Finally the Beachcombers had found a home.
Harvey Meyers designed the ceiling/roof truss system and the unique floor. He even invented an apparatus to hold the strips of plywood while they were being glued together to form the outstanding 4 X 4 foot squares of flooring. The building was completed in the fall of 1958 and the first dance was held in January of 1959. Early in the 60s, Martha Dunn of Coquille painted giant murals inside the wooden window covers on the East and West walls of the building depicting Battle Rock Beach and Nellie’s Cove.
Well known all over the state for having one of the best dance floors and fantastic acoustics, the Beachcombers Cove is a popular stop for many dancers who travel to the Beachcombers’ two big weekend dances each year. Labor Day Weekend the club’s Battle Rock Dance and the Birthday Weekend in July, feature a smokey beef barbeque, three nights of dancing, a casual dance in the surf at Battle Rock, a fundraiser pancake breakfast and lots of visiting and sightseeing.
Dancers have come and gone over the years but a list of charter members and the first known group photo hangs proudly in the Cove. Since 1959 callers and round dance cuers who have lead the dancers through their paces have signed small plywood life preservers which ring the dance floor. A place where history and Modern Square and round dancing come together, it doesn’t get any better than the Beachcombers Cove.
Please help us to keep this wonderful resource going.
Thanks.
Fundraising team (2)
Malcolm Young
Organizer
Port Orford, OR
Patty Cooper
Team member