Botanical Gardens, Geology and Oregon History

Japanese Garden with Pond

 

For Ben and Kelsey  who love Oriental Gardens. But I have a question for the viewers of the blogg.  Do you like the photos enlarged or not?  

You can actually click on something and get them enlarged and shown in sequence as I put them on..Let me know.  Comment!

We are still heading down Hwy 101 and also off some smaller off roads.  The history of Shore Acres State Park and its gardens and unusual geology (where all these photos were taken today) is intertwined with early Lumber Industry of Oregon, Shipbuilding, The Depression, WWII and a man named Louis J. Simpson(1877-1949), who was something of a rascal early in his youth, but became very rich, and then civic minded (giving land away to any company that would hire 50 employees, getting the railroad to Coos Bay and North Bend to help move the lumber from his mills and make the areas prosperous for all. Then he lost everything, one by one.  He never had children, but had two beautiful wives (the first died). Louis built a showplace estate (which had an a ballroom, indoor heated swimming pool) perched up on a scenic bluff with gardens from plants all around world and a huge farm. He even had his own electrical plant before most people had indoor plumbing, but didn't insure most of what he had.  He lost the first estate in a fire and built an even larger mansion which he lost with the Depression.  He made a deal with the State of Oregon in 1942 to purchase the property and with the US govt. Oregon housed WWII officers there.  They lived in the suites each having its own bathrooms. Finally the second mansion could not be restored after falling into much disrrepair and was razed. But visitors can still see sea lions, seals (we did today) off the scenic cliffs, walk and observe at low tide all kinds of organisms including the Green Anemone shown and among all kinds of flowers and plantings including the Japanese Garden, Rose Garden and at holiday times they light everything up.  We didn't see see whales today from the enclosed observatory, but that was because the entire coast of Oregon is fog/mist covered until at least 12 noon every day. We got lucky the first couple of days seeing them up close in the coves.

Concretions (Cannon Ball)  Mineral formations which start with decaying organic materials.  Will learn more later..

This is near the Simpson "Reef"(really rocks) where the seals and sea lions are gathering in hundreds.  Can you imagine the waves on a stormy winters day vs. a summer day.  Pat said he saw an elephant seal mixed in with the two species of sea lions (Stellar and California). Very dramatic!

At Sunset Bay Beach near the gardens.

Bladder Wrack or Rockweed like we have at home.  Here they farm it for food. (Agar makes hard ice cream, but I am thinking they eat it.) Pretty nice photo my phone did..Love the colors. Am I getting good at this?

Small Green Sea Anemone