This first is from a collection labeled “Westersund Snapshots”. The Peter Iredale ran aground on Clatsop Beach in October 1906. According to one source I found, it ran aground so hard that three masts snapped.
This next photo was taken by Don in 1959:
These next three were from 1960:
This next one is from 1962, and the bow sprit is gone:
I took this next one as a wee lad, most likely in 1963 or 64?
These next three are from 1969
From the Oregon Historical Society: “The Peter Iredale was a four-masted steel bark built in Maryport, England, in 1890 and owned by British shipping firm Iredale & Porter. On September 26, 1906, the Iredale left Salina Cruz, Mexico, bound for Portland, where it was to pick up a cargo of wheat for the United Kingdom. Despite encountering heavy fog, they managed to safely reach the mouth of the Columbia River early in the morning of October 25. The captain of the ship, H. Lawrence, later recalled that, as they waited for a pilot, “a heavy southeast wind blew and a strong current prevailed. Before the vessel could be veered around, she was in the breakers and all efforts to keep her off were unavailing.” The Iredale ran aground at Clatsop Beach, hitting so hard that three of her masts snapped from the impact. Fortunately, none of the crew were seriously injured. Captain Lawrence ordered that the ship be abandoned, and rockets were launched to signal for help.
The lifesaving station at Point Adams quickly responded, sending a team of men to rescue the crew. It was a dangerous task, but the lifesavers managed to bring all twenty-seven crewmen, including two stowaways, safely to shore. William K. Inman, one of the lifesavers who helped Captain Lawrence ashore, remembered that the red-bearded captain stood stiffly at attention, saluted his ship, and said “May God bless you and may your bones bleach in these sands.” He then turned and addressed his men with a bottle of whisky in his hand. “Boys,” he said, “have a drink.” The British Naval Court later ruled that the sudden wind shift and the strong current were responsible for the stranding of the ship, and that the captain and his officers were “in no wise to blame.”
The wrecked bark became an immediate tourist attraction. The day after the ship ran ashore the Oregon Journal reported that the wreck “proved a strong attraction…and in spite of the gale that was raging scores flocked to the scene of the disaster.” They noted that the Astoria & Columbia River Railroad was already planning to run excursion trains to the site.”
Cool picture, but didn’t have a clue otherwise, until I found the second one, and found the writing on the roof that says Winter Haven, looked closer at the writing on the spare tire of the car on the right in the first photo, and found Winter Haven, Fla written there. Both these photos were in the Hilson collection, and appear to be similar format to the previous swimming picture. Winter Haven is in Central Florida, between Tampa and Orlando, and is now known as the Chain of Lakes City, with 45 lakes touching or within it’s limits.
A Family's Album 